Question

Fallopian tube dysmotility is seen in which of the following conditions?

• A. Churg-Strauss syndrome
• B. Kartagener's syndrome
• C. Noonan syndrome
• D. Turner syndrome

Hint:

Think of the syndrome of immotile cilia with situs inversus, sinusitis and bronchiectasis.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Identify the structural basis of fallopian tube motility. The internal lining of the fallopian tube is a ciliated columnar epithelium, and the coordinated beating of these cilia (along with peristaltic muscular contractions) propels the ovum towards the uterus.
Step 2: Recognise the defect in Kartagener's syndrome. It is a subtype of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) caused by an absence or defect of the dynein arms in the ciliary axoneme, leading to immotile or dyskinetic cilia throughout the body.
Step 3: Apply this to the tube. Because the same ciliary defect affects the fallopian tube epithelium, ovum transport is impaired, causing tubal dysmotility and a predisposition to subfertility and ectopic pregnancy.
Step 4: The classic Kartagener triad is situs inversus, chronic sinusitis, and bronchiectasis; the underlying ciliary problem also explains immotile sperm in males and tubal dysmotility in females.
Step 5: Exclude the others. Churg-Strauss is an eosinophilic vasculitis, Noonan syndrome is a RASopathy with congenital heart disease and short stature, and Turner syndrome (45,XO) causes gonadal dysgenesis, none of which act through a ciliary motility defect.
Hence the answer is Kartagener's syndrome.