Congenital Heart Disease with Isolated Inversion of the Abdominal Viscera.

The two cases reported illustrate an uncommon type of partial inversion of the viscera, in which the abdominal organs alone are transposed while the heart remains in its normal position. Both were suffering from congenital heart disease, and a subsequent search brought to light several further reports of cardiac malformation associated with a similar transposition of the viscera. This combination cannot, therefore, be regarded as fortuitous, and, in fact, a similar and well-recognized relationship exists between congenital heart disease and another variety of incomplete heterotaxy, in which the heart alone is transposed. Isolated dextrocardia is the subject of two recent reviews, based on large series of cases collected from the literature (Roesler, 1930, and Lichtman, 1931); case reports of heart disease in the presence of isolated inversion of the abdominal viscera are, on the other hand, scanty and so far have not been critically reviewed.