KARTAGENERS-SYNDROME - SPECIAL PROBLEMS W ITH INDUCTION OF ANESTHESIA, ILLUSTRATED WITH REFERENCE TO A CASE-HISTORY

A 25-year-old woman with Kartagener's syndrome was admitted to hospita l for laparoscopy because of sterility. Kartagener's syndrome is a rar e disorder involving the combination of situs inversus, bronchiectasis and sinusitis. A dynein deficiency leads to ciliary dyskinesia. When general anaesthesia is to be induced in a patient with Kartagener's sy ndrome the following points must be borne in mind: ascertainment of th e preoperative pulmonary status, antibiotic coverage, recognition of d extrocardia, necessity for aseptic techniques because of the possibili ty of abnormal neutrophil chemotaxis. Anticholinergic and antitussive medications are relatively contraindicated, as are nasal tubes. In the present case an intubation anaesthesia with thiopental, nitrous oxide , enflurane and succinylcholine was carried out; cefoxitin was adminis tered for antibiotic treatment, and the patient made an uneventful rec overy.