New Delhi: The people of Bihar’s Motihari were astounded on hearing the news of a foetus being found inside the stomach of a 40-day-old infant. A rare phenomenon, in medical terminology, it is called ‘Foetus in fetu’ or the presence of a foetus in the stomach of the child. The diagnosis was done after the infant had an inflammation near his tummy due to which he was not able to urinate properly. The baby underwent surgery, following which he is now in a stable condition, News 18 reported.
Fetus in fetu (FIF) is a rare congenital anomaly, wherein the malformed and parasitic fetus is located in the body of its twin.
Tumour or fetus in fetu?
Fetus in fetu is a benign growth of embryological origin, which is located behind the abdomen lining of the host twin. To diagnose a fetus in fetu there must be evidence of body plan organisation, including vertebrae, limb buds, and organ tissues.
Where is it found?
Maternal Foetal Medicine consultant at Motherhood Hospital, Kharghar, Dr Priya Deshpande, told News 18, “It is found most commonly in the retroperitoneum, the tissues in the abdominal wall. Atypical locations like a skull, and sacrum have also been reported in the literature. The majority of cases appear in infancy.” She further revealed that though Fetus in fetu is usually present as a single parasitic foetus, cases of multiple fetuses have also been reported.
Diagnosis
It is often done with ultrasonography, plain radiography, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Treatment
As it is considered a benign disease, surgical treatment for fetus-in-fetu is curative.
