Fetus in fetu - Misplaced Pages

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Fetus in fetu (or fœtus in fœtu) describes an extremely rare abnormality classified as a teratoma containing entire organ systems, even major body parts such as torso or limbs. The condition occurs in 1 in 500,000 live births.

This condition can be psychologically extremely disturbing for the person who receives a diagnosis of fetus in fetu, or even of an ordinary teratoma.

Theories of development

There are two main theories about the development of fetus in fetu, one simple, the other complex.

Teratoma theory

Fetus in fetu may be a mature teratoma that is more highly differentiated than usual.

Main article: Teratoma

Parasitic twin theory

Fetus in fetu may be a parasitic twin fetus growing within its host twin. Very early in a monozygotic twin pregnancy, in which both fetuses share a common placenta, one fetus wraps around and envelops the other. The enveloped twin becomes a parasite, in that its survival depends on the survival of its host twin, by drawing on the host twin's blood supply. Invariably the parasitic twin is anencephalic (without a brain) and lacks some internal organs, and as such is unable to survive on its own.

Sometimes, however, the host twin survives and is delivered. It continues to survive until it grows so large that it starts to harm the host, at which point doctors usually intervene. The condition causes the host to look like they are pregnant (since they technically are) and can occur in both males and females.

Main article: Parasitic twin

Examples

Alamjan Nematilaev was the surviving host of a Fetus in fetu. In 2003, aged 7, his school physician in Kazakhstan referred him to hospital after movements were detected in the boy's enlarged stomach. An operation intended to remove a cyst uncovered the fetus of Alamjan's identical twin brother, which had lived as parasitic growth inside the boy throughout his entire life. The fetus was comparatively highly developed, with hair, arms, fingers, nails, legs, toes, genitals, a head, and a vague approximation of a face.

In June 1999, Sanju Bhagat, a man from Nagpur, India, was rushed to a hospital due to difficulty breathing. There, a surgical team removed from his bulging belly a teratoma, a kind of tumor. The report described that the surgical team found a living half-formed "creature" inside Mr. Bhagat's belly.

Appearances in popular culture

In Stephen King's novel The Dark Half, a writer's past fetus in fetu teratoma, which had been found and removed in childhood, is linked to the later appearance of a murderous "evil twin" version of himself that takes on the pseudonymous identity the writer had used for a dark series of novels, and that he had just retired.
In the X-Files episode "Humbug" the main character has a parasitic twin who detaches from his "host" and kills people around the town.
In season 2, episode 7 of the ABC television program Grey's Anatomy, a man believes he is pregnant; he turns out to have a teratoma.
In the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Aunt Voula tells a story about "a lump on the back of neck" that contained "teeth, and a spinal column", probably a teratoma.
The fate and identity of a fetus in fetu is a prominent plot line in the New Zealand drama series The Insider's Guide To Love
In the film Breakin' All the Rules, Nikki describes a teratoma to Quincy.
In The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman (1992) by Louis de Bernières, Guzman's demons are caused by a teratoma.
Pinoko, a character in the anime Black Jack, is actually a teratoma extracted by Black Jack from a patient. She was given a plastic exoskeleton, and came to live with Black Jack as his assistant after being rejected by her twin sister. Her name is an obvious reference to Pinnochio, and she even sings a song about him in one episode.
In Patrick O'Brian's multi-novel Aubrey-Maturin series, Stephen Maturin carries a preserved teratoma he had removed from a patient along with him as a prized possession.
In the animated television series, Bromwell High, durin one of Iqbal's speeches, he appears to be describing the lump removed from himself as having hair in teeth, and revealing it was his twin brother who had been buried inside him all those years.
On Will and Grace, Grace once expressed utter horror at a teratoma with little hair and teeth. She even said "When they poked it, it said 'Ow'."

References

^ "Man With Twin Living Inside Him—A Medical Mystery Classic", ABC News
"How did that boy end up with his twin growing inside him?" The Guardian, July 17, 2003, accessed June 4, 2007
"The Boy Who Gave Birth to His Twin", Channel 4, December 2003, accessed June 4, 2007
Cite error: The named reference kirch was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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