Ivemark syndrome
Background
Ivemark syndrome: Isomerism of the Right Atrial Appendages, Heterotaxy syndrome, Asplenia syndrome
Ivemark syndrome is now largely a historical term for the association of congenital asplenia (absence of a spleen) with malformations of the cardiovascular system (which transports blood through the body via the hearts, lungs and veins) and abnormal arrangement of the chest and abdominal (thoraco-abdominal) organs.
Ivemark Syndrome is part of a group of disorders known as heterotaxy syndromes which includes both right (Ivemark) and left isomerism. In these conditions there is a failure of the normal lateralisation of internal organs (i.e. left and right sided) resulting in mirror imaging of certain structures on both sides of the body.