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Autopsy of Woman 99, Reveals Her Organs Were on the Wrong Side

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Source: newsweek.com


99-year-old woman who died not knowing that her organs grew on the wrong side of her body was thought to be the oldest person to survive with this rare congenital condition.

Rose Marie Bentley, from the rural town of Molalla, Oregon, was born with situs inversus with levocardia. Situs inversus is a condition in which the internal organs are arranged in a mirrored layout to the normal position in humans. Levocardia indicates the heart is in the normal position.

The animal feed store owner, who died in the fall of 2017 at the age of 99, had donated her body to the Oregon Health and Science University Anatomical Services Center.

Although levocardia is often associated with severe heart defects, the condition never caused Bentley any problems, and despite the fact that she underwent three surgeries to remove organs over the course of her life, the condition was never detected, and she died unaware of it.

Dr. Cam Walker, an assistant professor of anatomy in the OHSU Anatomical Services Center who worked on the case, believes Bentley survived longer than any other person with the condition, as the chance of living into adulthood is 1 in 50 million. Scientists know of two other cases where patients lived to see the age of 70.

"I knew something was up, but it took us a while to figure out how she was put together,” said Walker.

  Rose Marie Bentley, who was born with a rare disorder, pictured in her youth.Bentley Family 


Warren Nielsen, a medical student at Lake Oswego, Oregon, who worked on Bentley's body, said: "It was quite amazing. We were able to not only learn normal anatomy, but also all the anatomic variation that can occur. I grew to appreciate how she was able to live as long as she did. It made me wonder who she was."

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Rose Marie Bentley did not know she had a rare anatomy when she was alive.Bentley family


    The condition affects only about one in 22,000 people. Scientists aren’t sure what causes situs inversus, although some cases appear to have been inherited. Situs inversus can cause such problems as heart defects in 5 to 10 percent of patients.

    In most cases, a physician will diagnose the condition by carrying out a physical exam and performing radiographic imaging to check where the organs are positioned. Treatments generally target related illnesses.


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