A mother-of-five lived for 99 years with a 'totally backwards' body, doctors have revealed.

Rose Marie Bentley, from Molalla in northwest Oregon, was discovered to have situs inversus with levocardia.

This caused her liver, stomach and pancreas to develop on her right side rather than in their normal more 'left' position.

Mrs Bentley was oblivious to her bizarre anatomy, with her condition only coming to light after she donated her body for medical research.

The mother - who died in October 2017 - is thought to be the oldest known person with the disorder. Doctors say the odds of surviving beyond childhood are as little as one in 50million. 

Despite most patients dying of heart failure, Mrs Bentley's family claim she lived a healthy life, abuse with her only complaints being arthritis and acid reflux. 




Rose Marie Bentley (pictured) died aged 99 on October 11 2017. She is thought to be the oldest known person with situs inversus with levocardia, which caused her liver, stomach and pancreas to develop on her right side rather than in their normal left position





Born in 1918, Mrs Bentley (pictured as a younger woman) was oblivious to her bizarre condition and never suffered any health complaints beyond arthritis and acid reflux. She is one in 50 million with the disorder who survive into adulthood and unusually had no heart defects

Medical students came across Mrs Bentley's condition in March last year after she gave her body to the Oregon Health & Science University's (OHSU) donation program. 

Cam Walker, assistant professor of anatomy at the university's anatomical services center, said: 'I knew something was up, but it took us a while to figure out how she was put together.

'I think the odds of finding another person like her may be as remote as one in 50million. I don't think any of us will ever forget it, honestly.'




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