Baby born with two sets of genitalia, but no anus, operated soon after birth, can now lead a normal life
Baby born with two sets of genitalia, but no anus, operated soon after birth, can now lead a normal life
On December 12, 2008, Vijay Barve (name changed) called everyone he knew and told them the news he had just become the father of a baby boy.
As he charged towards the delivery room, he spotted his relatives waiting outside and stopped.
They were weeping.
"I was shaken and I ran into the room to see my son. He seemed fine, till I looked closely and saw that he had two penises.
I just went blank," recollects Barve. In fact, the baby, also had an extra buttock, three scrotums and no anus.
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The next day, the two-day-old infant was operated upon. In June, four operations later, the baby is finally normal.
"We started operating on the baby on day two because the faster such problems are corrected, the less mental agony there is for the parents," said Dr Rajeev Redkar, consultant paediatric surgeon at Wadia Hospital.
He, along with associate professor and unit-in-charge Dr Pragnya Bendre and two anaesthetists, reconstructed an anus, removed the extra penis, the extra scrotum and the buttock.
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Dr Redkar said there were several parents who had children with abnormal genitalia, who waited years before they sought medical intervention.
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"They are socially ostracised, there is depression all around and mental agony. Some parents even believe it's God's doing and nothing can correct the problem.
It is very important to understand that such cases are social emergencies and can be treated with excellent results," said Dr Redkar.
Meanwhile, the Barves are ecstatic that their son can now enjoy a normal life.
"This is our first baby and we were overjoyed, but also worried sick about what would happen if his condition couldn't be cured," said his proud father.
Rare Case
The baby was diagnosed with diphallia (penile duplication) and anorectal malformation that occurs in one in 5 million cases.
According to Dr Bendre, a possible cause was an aborted twinning process in the mother that leads to the duplication of some organs, but not all.
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X-ray of the baby born diagnosed with diphallia |
u00a0"In this case, part of the intestine was also duplicated. However, the baby can now pass urine and stools through normal openings," said Dr Bendre.
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The baby's case is the second reported case of diphallia in India.
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In 2006, an Indian businessman from Uttar Pradesh got himself admitted to a New Delhi hospital to remove his extra penis. The first reported case was in 1609.
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