The parasitic twin, an incompletely formed baby, had grown an additional head. It was feeding off of the healthy girl’s blood supply – depriving her of nutrients.
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As well as being born with the extra appendage, the infant also had a third hand. The hospital, in Jaipur, did not charge the family for any health or surgery costs.
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Indian doctors have given a new lease of life to a baby girl who was born with a head attached to her stomach.They managed to remove the appendage of her parasitic twin in a complicated four-hour operation at JK Lone Hospital, in Jaipur.
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It was feeding off of her blood supply – depriving her of vital nutrients needed for her healthy development, surgeons said.
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As well as being born with an extra head, which had no ears and eyes due to being partly developed, the infant also had a third hand.
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An unnamed 21-year-old woman presented herself to doctors at the Ram Snehi Hospital, in Jahazpur, after experiencing pain during her pregnancy.
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She was immediately referred for a sonography scan and an ultrasound and weretold that she was carrying twins – but were unaware they would be parasitic.
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Unlike conjoined twins, one is incompletely formed or wholly dependent on some bodily functions of the complete foetus.
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Cases of parasitic twins are rare and believed to account for just one per one million live births, according to medical literature.
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Dr Vijiyeta Garg, a gynaecologist who looked after the woman, assured the family that both mother and child could be saved.
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However, her 24-year-old husband, who works as a farmer, insisted that her life was a priority and the baby should come second.
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After a successful Caesarean section, the family were relieved that both managed to survive before the child was referred to JK Lone Hospital – 336 miles (540km) away.
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The operation on April 26 proved to be a success – despite the young couple believing they would lose their first child, local reports suggest.
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Dr Pravin Marthur, of the hospital’s paediatric unit, said: ‘This is one of the rarest cases of parasitic twin.
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‘The parents told us the mother had undergone sonography and other tests but were not told about carrying an underdeveloped twin.
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‘They were shattered when they saw the baby. We had to convince them to give usa nod for the surgery to save their daughter’s life.
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‘After immediate consultation with a team of radiologist and support from assistant professors, we successfully removed the head from the viable child.’
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The hospital did not charge the family for any health or surgery costs. The baby isrecovering well and is being breastfed and will be discharged later this week.
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Parasitic twins are usually a result of a delay in the separation of embryos during conception.
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They are formed when one embryo maintains a dominant development at the expense of the other.
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