Rarest ‘Fetus in Fetu’ case: 8 undeveloped fetuses removed from 21-days-old baby

 

Sumesh Rajan

Mumbai: 4 November 2022

 

In what is believed to be the world’s rarest ‘fetus in fetu’ case, eight undeveloped fetuses were removed from the abdomen of a 21-days-old infant by surgeons at Rani Children’s Hospital in Ranchi city, Jharkhand state, India.

 

The baby girl was born to Seema Kumari of Ramgarh on October 10. The infant’s abdomen was bloated, and the doctors there suspected it to be a tumour. She was then referred to Rani Children’s Hospital, located 50 kms away, for better treatment.

 

“The initial findings of the CT Scan of the baby suggested ‘a large well-defined cystic mass lesion with multiple thick septation within it seen in the peritoneal cavity extending from the left subdiaphragmatic area, pushing and compressing the stomach extending inferiorly till the lower abdomen level’ and ‘dense calcification or ossification seen within the cystic lesion’,” said Pediatric Surgeon Dr. Mohammed Imran of Rani Hospital who performed the surgery on the baby on November 1.

 

He added, “It was only during the surgery we were astonished to find that it was not cyst but undeveloped fetuses – not one but eight – within the 21-days-old baby.”

 

“The surgery lasted about one and half hours, and was a success. The baby’s condition is normal right now, and she has been kept under observation. She will be discharged in a week’s time,” said Dr Imran.

 

“This is the third child of the mother. The parents being of low socio-economic status are availing Ayushman Bharat Scheme (India’s national health protection scheme which covers poor and vulnerable families providing coverage up to Rs 5 lakhs per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization),” informed Dr Imran.

 

Rani Hospital Medical Director Dr Rajesh Kumar said, “Since it is the rarest of rare case, we are preparing it to be published in international medical journals.”

 

Fetus in fetu is a rare congenital anomaly. It is a condition in which a malformed fetus is located in the body of its twin. It is most frequently located in the retroperitoneal area, however, it has been reported in other locations as well.

 

The anomaly was first defined in the early 19th Century by German anatomist Johann Friedrich Meckel.