- Surgeons successfully removed a 1kg unformed fetus from the child’s chest.
- The rare ‘Foetus in Fetu’ case was located unusually close to the heart.
- Doctors reportedly misdiagnosed the child’s breathing issues for five years.
A five-year-old child in Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, recently underwent successful surgery to remove an extremely rare anomaly: a fully unformed fetus located inside his chest cavity. According to BBC Urdu, the delicate procedure was conducted at Sheikh Zayed Hospital. The child had reportedly suffered from persistent respiratory issues since he was just 18 days old, symptoms that baffled doctors for years before the correct diagnosis was finally made.
Dr. Sultan Owaisi, who led the complicated surgery on Monday, detailed the case, explaining that the removed mass was a ‘Foetus in Fetu’ (FIF). This condition involves an underdeveloped twin fetus found within the body of a normal child. Dr. Owaisi noted that the case was particularly unique because the fetus was situated in the chest, close to the main artery of the heart, whereas FIF cases are typically found in the abdominal region. The mass reportedly weighed nearly one kilogram and contained recognizable structures like a spine, hair, teeth, and other organs, though it lacked a fully formed head.
The child’s persistent breathing difficulties, recurring chest infections, and frequent fevers led his rural family to consult numerous doctors over five years. Dr. Owaisi confirmed that earlier physicians consistently treated the symptoms as common asthma or chest infections, failing to suspect the underlying congenital issue. It was only after a recent CT scan that the ‘Foetus in Fetu’ diagnosis was confirmed, highlighting the challenges of diagnosing this rare condition, which is estimated to occur in only one out of 500,000 births, as per the American Pediatric General.
While the term FIF suggests a twin pregnancy outcome, medical experts like Professor Nadeem Akhtar, Head of Pediatric Surgery at PIMS, explained to BBC Urdu that the phenomenon is scientifically disputed. He suggested that it is often structurally akin to a teratoma or non-malignant tumor, possessing the three distinct layers of a fetus but not necessarily being a dead twin. Experts emphasize that complete surgical removal, as achieved in RYK, eliminates recurrence. Doctors are now urging parents to seek specialized attention early, noting that prompt diagnosis via ultrasound or CT scans is crucial for managing this condition effectively.