Traumatic rupture of a left-sided liver and postoperative acute respiratory failure in a patient with Kartagener's syndrome.

A case is described of abdominal trauma and rupture of a left-sided liver in a patient with Kartagener's syndrome (situs inversus, bronchiectasis, sinusits). Exploratory laparotomy, left thoractomy, cholecystectomy and hepatic artery ligation were necessary to control hemorrhage. Special attention was paid to the patient's respiratory condition postoperatively via physiotherapy and analgesia. The importance of identifying this three-part syndrome and especially the bronchiectasis is emphasized.