Indian doctors have successfully removed 'parasitic twins' - two foetuses that were growing inside the abdomen of a 20-day-old baby. Called foetus in foetu, the condition is extremely rare, with fewer than 200 cases reported worldwide until now, a handful of which were in India. The condition develops early in pregnancy when a malformed foetus is absorbed by the host twin. Though the foetus is not alive, it continues to develop by absorbing nutrients from the host twin.
In this case, the woman was pregnant with triplets and two of the foetuses began to grow inside the abdomen of the baby. 'The surgery was challenging but the baby is healthy and doing well,' Dr. Anand Sinha, a pediatric surgeon who led the operation, told the BBC. The infant was discharged from the hospital a month back and there have been no complications so far.
The doctor stated that the recovery period after the surgery is crucial, as infection or other complications could prove fatal for the child. In 2024, a three-day-old baby in Kolkata died a day after undergoing surgery to remove two malformed foetuses from his abdomen.
In this latest case, the parents admitted their 20-day-old baby to Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram in July due to a bloated abdomen and inability to eat. A scan revealed two tumour-like shapes inside her abdomen, which were actually the malformed foetuses. Dr. Anand explained that surgery could not be performed immediately as the baby was dehydrated and malnourished and needed to be stabilized first.
The operation took about two hours. Doctors had to use special equipment due to the baby’s delicate nature. Care was taken to extract the foetuses, which were attached to vital organs like the liver and intestines, without causing damage to any organs or blood vessels. Throughout the surgery, the baby's temperature was monitored, and care was taken to prevent blood loss.
Foetus in foetu is typically diagnosed during pregnancy. However, sometimes parasitic twins are detected in adults if the condition remains unnoticed during infancy. Dr. Anand cautioned that if not removed early, the malformed foetuses continue to grow, potentially leading to other health complications.
In this case, the woman was pregnant with triplets and two of the foetuses began to grow inside the abdomen of the baby. 'The surgery was challenging but the baby is healthy and doing well,' Dr. Anand Sinha, a pediatric surgeon who led the operation, told the BBC. The infant was discharged from the hospital a month back and there have been no complications so far.
The doctor stated that the recovery period after the surgery is crucial, as infection or other complications could prove fatal for the child. In 2024, a three-day-old baby in Kolkata died a day after undergoing surgery to remove two malformed foetuses from his abdomen.
In this latest case, the parents admitted their 20-day-old baby to Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram in July due to a bloated abdomen and inability to eat. A scan revealed two tumour-like shapes inside her abdomen, which were actually the malformed foetuses. Dr. Anand explained that surgery could not be performed immediately as the baby was dehydrated and malnourished and needed to be stabilized first.
The operation took about two hours. Doctors had to use special equipment due to the baby’s delicate nature. Care was taken to extract the foetuses, which were attached to vital organs like the liver and intestines, without causing damage to any organs or blood vessels. Throughout the surgery, the baby's temperature was monitored, and care was taken to prevent blood loss.
Foetus in foetu is typically diagnosed during pregnancy. However, sometimes parasitic twins are detected in adults if the condition remains unnoticed during infancy. Dr. Anand cautioned that if not removed early, the malformed foetuses continue to grow, potentially leading to other health complications.
