Baby's Head Too Big, CT Scan Reveals... Twin Fetuses in the Skull

Visit Due to Macrocephaly and Loss of Motor Skills
Chinese Medical Team Monitoring Prognosis After Surgery

British media outlet Daily Star reported on the 9th (local time) that a 'twin fetus' was discovered in the skull of a 1-year-old child suffering from macrocephaly.

According to the report, Fudan University Hospital in China recently removed a fetus of identical twins found inside the skull of a 1-year-old child.

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The child who underwent surgery is Chinese and visited the hospital due to symptoms of macrocephaly and loss of motor function. Medical staff initially suspected a tumor as the reason for the child's head being significantly larger than average and immediately conducted a CT scan.

However, inside the skull was not a tumor but a 'fetus.' The fetus was sharing blood vessels inside the skull and pressing down on the brain. Because of this, the child showed symptoms of cerebrospinal fluid accumulation in part of the brain.

The fetus was receiving nutrients through connected blood vessels and had developed bones, arms, and hands.

The medical team immediately separated the fetus from the skull. The surgeon believes this fetus resulted from cells that did not separate properly. During the cell division process, the part that failed to separate developed into the forebrain of the 'host fetus.'

Experts said this case is a rare example of 'vanishing twin syndrome,' recorded only about 200 times worldwide, making it an extremely rare occurrence.

Vanishing twin syndrome occurs when one twin is absorbed by the pregnant woman or the other twin between 10 to 15 weeks of pregnancy and is miscarried. Sometimes the twin is completely absorbed and disappears, but in cases like this, it remains in the form of a fetus or becomes part of the body.

The child is currently hospitalized at the hospital where the surgery was performed, and their prognosis is being monitored.