A hereditary condition in which all the organs in the chest and abdomen are positioned on the opposite side from the usual one, i.e. the heart and stomach are on the right.
An inherited lung disease characterized by recurrent bronchial infections, male infertility, and a condition called situs inversus, in which the heart is found on the right side of the chest rather than the left. Other organs may also be reversed. In Kartagener syndrome, mucus transport in the lungs is ineffective. Mucus is normally carried through the lungs by microscopic hair like projections called cilia, which move in a coordinated way to force mucus from smaller to larger airways, where it can be expelled by coughing. In Kartagener syndrome, the cilia do not work properly and as a result, mucus becomes stuck in the respiratory passages, where it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.
A hereditary syndrome consisting of abnormal ciliary movement, bronchiectasis, maldevelopment of the sinuses, and transposition of the viscera.