A parasitic twin never fully develops but stays attached to the host - who continues to develop until birth
In a rare and complex surgery, doctors from AIIMS in Bhopal have successfully removed a parasitic twin stuck to the skull and neck of a three-year-old girl in a complex and rare surgery. Doctors say the toddler is recovering well now.
A parasitic twin is a type of conjoined twin where one fetus stops developing but remains attached to its twin. The other twin continues to develop but is usually born with the limbs, organs, or other tissue structures from its parasitic twin still attached.
The girl—who had had a fleshy bulge in the back of her neck since birth—had been referred to the neurosurgery department of the hospital, where her MRI and CT scans were done before the surgery. After the scans, doctors found an incomplete body leg and pelvic bones attached to her skull and spine - stuck to the brainstem, a delicate part that connects the brain to the spinal cord.
What is a parasitic twin?
A parasitic twin never fully develops but stays attached to the host, who continues to develop until birth. A parasitic twin happens early in embryonic development—so its organs or limbs can be nearly unrecognisable.
The dominant twin is at high risk for medical complications and requires medical treatment after birth.
Also known as fetus in fetu, a parasitic twin is a type of conjoined twin—which accounts for at least 10 per cent of all conjoined twins. Conjoined twins are two fully developed fetuses that are connected at birth. According to experts, conjoined twins share one or more organs and are usually attached to their back, chest, or torso. A parasitic twin is one fully developed fetus and one undeveloped fetus.
The undeveloped fetus is nonfunctional and does not survive the pregnancy.
What causes the condition of parasitic twin?
Doctors say while no one is entirely sure why it happens, researchers point to two main theories - the fission theory and the fusion theory. The fission theory describes an incomplete separation of one fertilised egg, which fully separates, resulting in identical twins. If a fertilised egg partially splits, it becomes conjoined twins. However, a parasitic twin happens when one of the fetuses in a conjoined twin stops developing.
The fusion theory suggests two separate fertilised eggs grow or fuse together during development. A parasitic twin occurs when one of these two fertilized eggs stops developing but remains attached to its twin.
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