ABSTRACT

Kartagener syndrome (KS) is characterized by a classic triad of symptoms: situs inversus, bronchiectasis, and chronic sinusitis. It is considered a subtype of pri­mary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), formerly known as immotile cilia syndrome (ICS) (1). It is situs inversus, a reversal of the usual left-right asymmetry of the abdomi­nal and thoracic internal organ locations, that distinguishes KS from other forms of PCD. All forms of PCD are characterized by dysmotility or immotility of cilia in airway epithelial cells, spermatozoa, and other ciliated cells of the body (1-* Current affiliation: Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.