What happens if the body's organs move from their place?!

The body's organs tend to be in a specific arrangement and location. This is useful when it comes to diagnosing certain conditions. However, sometimes, members end up in the “wrong” place.

Developmentally, one of the largest single organ abnormalities is "right heart", where the heart turns to the right instead of being slightly closer to the left, in what is known as "left heart" (the medical condition in which the heart is in its correct place "on one side"). the left").

When this occurs in the absence of other abnormalities, individuals will live a normal life, with the only "symptoms" being different EKG readings.

In some, all the contents of the abdomen and chest can be turned to the other side, which is known as viscera inversus (or truncal inversion or total viscera).

Total visceral reversal is relatively rare, affecting about one in 10,000 people - and is usually more common in males than females. In some people, only the heart and lungs are affected. This is called "right-sided reversal."

More than 100 genes have been identified that play a role in ensuring that our organs develop normally. The inverse situation is inherited when both parents pass on a defective copy of the same gene.

People with this condition may never notice any symptoms if they are healthy.

In fact, there are reports of people living lives beyond their average life expectancy and not being diagnosed until after death.

The only conditions in which life expectancy is affected in 'right heart' and 'global reversal' are the presence of other heart defects.

Sometimes, parts of the body are in the wrong place because of a structural problem, rather than a developmental problem, such as a hernia.

Hernia

A hernia can see the abdominal organs ending up in the chest or outside the cavity they are supposed to be located in.

To illustrate, we have natural openings in the diaphragm, which is a layer of muscle that helps us breathe, and allows blood vessels and the esophagus to pass through. The diaphragm maintains the thoracic organs in the chest and the abdominal organs in the abdomen. However, in some circumstances, these openings can become weak, or increased pressure (coughing, sneezing, or straining) can push organs through them.

Thus, the liver, parts of the small intestine and colon can end up in the chest. Most commonly, part of the stomach herniates through the opening of the esophagus. This "hiatal hernia" is very common, with one in four people affected by the age of forty. This percentage rises to 55-60% of people over the age of 50, but many of them do not suffer from any symptoms.

Hiatal hernia is more common in women and people who are overweight.

One type of hiatal hernia can be serious, as a hernia next to the esophagus can strangle the stomach and cut off its important blood supply, requiring emergency surgery.

Another category of hernia is the inguinal hernia. In this case, parts of the intestine can enter the inguinal canal in the lower abdomen directly through its opening and potentially protrude into the thigh.

Inguinal hernia is more common in men, with 27% of them likely to experience it in their lifetime, compared to 3% of women.

Prolapse

Some organs can end up in the wrong place through prolapse (prolapse from the original position), especially in women where the uterus can prolapse into the vagina. In severe cases, it can protrude outside the vagina. This can happen during pregnancy and labor and poses a significant risk.

Risk factors for uterine prolapse include multiple vaginal births, being overweight, chronic constipation, and advanced age.