Situs solitus

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Situs solitus is the term used in anatomy to describe the normal position of thoracic and abdominal organs. It is the most common arrangement of internal organs, and it is found in approximately 99.9% of individuals. The opposite of situs solitus is situs inversus, a condition in which the position of the major visceral organs is mirrored from their usual positions.

Anatomy[edit | edit source]

In situs solitus, the heart is located on the left side of the body (levocardia), the stomach and spleen are on the left, and the liver and gallbladder are on the right. The lungs are bilaterally symmetrical, with three lobes on the right and two on the left. The appendix is located in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen.

Clinical significance[edit | edit source]

Situs solitus is considered the normal arrangement of organs, and it is typically associated with a lower risk of congenital anomalies and health problems compared to other arrangements like situs inversus or situs ambiguus. However, it is possible for individuals with situs solitus to have other unrelated congenital anomalies.

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


Wiki.png

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD


Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.

Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD