In a truly remarkable and rare medical case, doctors in India successfully removed a 30-pound parasitic twin from a teen boy’s stomach, an underdeveloped twin that the boy could feel both touch and pain from.
The unidentified 17-year-old from Uttar Pradesh, a northern Indian state, had a rare case of a parasitic twin protruding from his abdomen. The underdeveloped twin, which consisted of two fully formed legs, buttocks, and external genitalia, grew directly from his body.
A parasitic twin occurs when one of the conjoined twins does not fully develop inside the womb. Conjoined twins are already extremely rare, occurring in only one in 50,000 to 100,000 births, and parasitic twins are even rarer, with only 40 documented cases so far.
In a complex surgery performed at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi last month, doctors successfully removed the remnants of the parasitic twin, offering the boy a “new world” after facing isolation and emotional stress due to his condition.
“I couldn’t travel anywhere or do any physical activity. Now a new world has opened before me. I hope to study and get a job,” the boy told Indian Express.
When the patient first presented at the hospital, doctors carefully assessed how the parasitic twin was connected to the host body. Detailed scans revealed that the twin was firmly attached to the teen’s breastbone and was receiving blood from a vessel in his chest. However, there were no significant connections to vital organs like the liver or kidneys. The doctors also found a large cyst in the abdomen.
The surgery was performed in two stages: first, removing the parasitic twin, and then extracting the cyst. The teen’s blood pressure dropped dangerously during the surgery, as 30-40% of his blood was being diverted to the parasitic twin. However, the doctors were well-prepared for this and quickly stabilized him.
“A mesh of shared blood vessels, nerves and tissues had to be separated. Care had to be taken to see that none of the host’s organs or tissues were damaged,” Dr Asuri Krishna, who led the surgical team said.
The teen was discharged just four days after the procedure, and he has since recovered without any complications.
