Rare Genetic Condition ’Situs Inversus’ Discovered in Moroccan Teen During Appendicitis Exam

Called "situs inversus", this rare and complex congenital anomaly is genetically and hereditarily transmitted or can be grafted onto other pathologies. "It is an anomaly in which one or more organs are located on the opposite side to the one they normally occupy. This condition occurs with a frequency of only 0.01% and can involve all the organs, or be only partial in the case of ’incomplete situs inversus’," explains to the MAP Fatiha El Ghadouri, the adolescent’s attending physician.

The specialist specifies that "the absence of malformations in the organs allows the people concerned to lead a normal life, without any health problems, which makes the discovery of these cases often fortuitous", adding that in 30 years of service, she has only encountered three cases of this congenital anomaly. Dr. Abdeladim Chaquibi, general surgeon, notes for his part that there is no link between appendicitis and "situs inversus", the appendectomy having been performed on the left side rather than the right.

The father of the young girl, Abdelouafi El Banoudi, did not hide his surprise at the announcement of this anomaly by the attending physicians who nevertheless reassured him that it would not affect his daughter’s health. Once cured of the appendicitis, the young girl returned home and resumed the path to school.