Brazilian Baby Born With Rare 'Human Tail' With Ball On The End Has It Removed By Doctors
Doctors in Brazil were left flabbergasted over the case of a boy born with a true human tail ¡ª a ¡°rare congenital anomaly."
Doctors in Brazil were left flabbergasted over the case of a boy born with a true human tail ¡ª a ¡°rare congenital anomaly."
There are very few babies ever to be born with a true human tail. According to a case study in the Journal of Pediatric Case Surgery Reports, the unnamed infant¡¯s ¡°epic tail¡± began sprouting in the womb where, like all babies, he developed an embryonic appendage around four to eight weeks after gestation.
Forte, Suares, Bezerra et al
However, the growth is quickly absorbed by the body, culminating in the creation of the tailbone. The tail, in this particular case, continued to grow.
By the time the child was born prematurely at 35 weeks, he sported a 6-inch posterior protuberance with a 1.5 inch-wide ball at the tip like a meaty medieval mace, Daily Mail reported.
Doctors who examined the baby noted the tail contained no parts made of cartilage and bone, meaning it was a rare example of a true human tail.
Forte, Suares, Bezerra et al
The case is extremely rare, as it was said that there have only been about 40 documented cases of children being born with true, boneless, tails in history.
The report says the unidentified infant was delivered at 35 weeks without any complications. Before the delivery, an ultrasound revealed no concerns or signs regarding a tail being attached to the child's nervous system.
Representational Image/Shutterstock
"The presence of a true human tail in neonates is a rare congenital anomaly and should be investigated through physical and radiological examinations in a comprehensive manner," the journal article mentions.
¡°Due to the common ectodermal origin between the skin and the central nervous system, it is essential that the paediatrician or pediatric surgeon investigate the presence of hidden spinal dysraphism in patients with suspected skin lesions, as they may be the only visible abnormality and early diagnosis can prevent evolution to severe neurological changes,¡± it added.
