Pathophysiology
association of dextrocardia/situs inversus, infertility, and pulmonary infections (sinusitis and bronchiectasis)
Signs and Symptoms
1) cough 2) productive sputum 3) mild hemoptysis 4) chronic sinusitis 5) nasal polyps
Associated Conditions
atrial flutter
Histology/Gross Pathology
1) missing or irregular dynein arm in cilia 2) cilia are immotile throughout the body (lungs, vas deferens, fallopian tubes) 3) tails of sperm are defective
Inheritance/Epidemiology
1) autosomal recessive 2) defect is located on chromosome 19
Treatment
1) organism-specific antibiotics for lung infections 2) surgical removal of severely symptomatic lung tissue 3) lung transplantation for end-stage disease
Tips for USMLE
1) if question mentions defective cilia, think Kartagener’s 2) if question mentions a 37 year-old woman who is infertile and who has had lifelong recurrent pneumonias, think Kartagener’s
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