AIIMS Bhopal Doctors Remove Rare Parasitic Twin From 3-Year-Old Girl's Skull

Doctors at AIIMS Bhopal performed a rare and complex surgery to separate a parasitic twin stuck to the skull and neck of a three-year-old girl. The girl is healthy and recovering.

In a rare and complex surgery, doctors at AIIMS Bhopal successfully removed a parasitic twin stuck to the skull and neck of a three-year-old girl. The girl, who hails from Ashoknagar, is now stable and recovering well post-operation.

A parasitic twin is a rare type of conjoined twin where one twin stops developing but remains attached to the other surviving one, which continues to develop, often with parts of the underdeveloped twin still attached.

The girl had a fleshy bulge at the back of her neck since birth. Upon admission to the neurosurgery department of AIIMS, Bhopal, her MRI and CT scans were done, revealing the presence of the underdeveloped twin. 

The scans showed that an incomplete body leg and pelvic bones were attached to her skull and spine, which were stuck to a very delicate part of the brain — the brain stem. 

Given the complexity of the case, the surgical team decided to proceed with the surgery on April 3. The decision was made after a multidisciplinary consultation involving Dr. Radha Gupta and Dr. Ankur from the Radiology Department, Dr. Riyaz Ahmed from Pediatric Surgery, and Dr. Ved Prakash from Plastic Surgery.

The surgery was led by Dr. Sumit Raj, with Dr. Jitendra Shakya and Dr. Abhishek assisting during the procedure. The girl is currently in good health and recovering well post-surgery.

"This case was related to a parasitic twin, in which an underdeveloped twin fetus was stuck to the skull and neck of a living girl. This incomplete twin child remains stuck to its fully developed twin. This incomplete twin cannot live on its own and is dependent on its twin," Prof Dr Ajay Singh, Executive Director of AIIMS Bhopal, told India Today TV.