Abdominal situs inversus in a Holstein calf

Situs inversus is a rare congenital anomaly wherein the normal, left-right organ location is inverted. The anatomical inversion (heterotaxy) is usually detected in routine radiography or other medical interventions. A 5-month-old Holstein heifer calf was identified as a suspected situs inversus totalis during abdominal surgery. Following surgery the calf did not gain weight. On admission to the Ontario Veterinary Hospital, it was given a routine clinical examination and a detailed cardiovascular, Doppler ultrasound examination, which appeared normal. Because of declining health and chronic bloating in the heifer, euthanasia was performed. A detailed post-mortem dissection was carried out. No heart or lung anomalies were detected. Other thoracic organs were normal, except for a helical coil of the esophagus as it traversed the diaphragm. The rumen was located entirely on the right side of the abdomen and had a large area of adhesion to the parietal peritoneal wall. The left kidney was abnormally placed: retroperitoneal and cranial to the right. There were two spleens. The caudal vena cava was distended and twisted to the left. Thus the calf was situs inversus abdominalis. This suggests that the development of laterality in the early embryo may include both timing and positional regulation.