The
girl, born to Chinese mainland parents in Queen Elizabeth Hospital had
to undergo surgery at just three weeks old to remove them.
The foetuses, 8 to 10 weeks gestated, had legs, arms, a spine, rib cage and intestines. Both were also covered in skin.
One weighed 14.2 grammes and the other 9.3 grammes – and each had an umbilical cord.
The surgery was successful and the girl was discharged from hospital eight days later.
The extraordinary medical marvel was detailed in the latest issue of the Hong Kong Medical Journal.
Anomaly: This picture shows the spine of each foetus
The condition, known as foetus in foetu occurs in just one in
500,000 births in the world. Less than 200 cases have ever been
reported.
Dr Yu Kai-man, a specialist in obstetrics and gyneacology, believes it is the first documented case in the city.
He said: “It was almost impossible to detect during the prenatal check-up, as the embryo inside the baby was too small,” said Yu, a former professor at Chinese University of Hong Kong.
“Since
it is impossible for the little girl to have conceived the pregnancy on
her own, the fertilisation of the twin fetuses, of course, belongs to
her parents, which has gone to the wrong place.”
The report said
the reason behind the abnormality, which happened when the girl was born
in 2010, is still unknown, and that the World Health Organisation
classified it as a type of cancer.
But it suggested it was possibly linked to the mother having multiple abortions.
“The
widespread use of antenatal ultrasound in early gestation may provide
more concrete evidence … and shed light on this intriguing condition,”
the report said.
A hospital spokeswoman refused to comment on the case.
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