An eight-month-old infant, identified as Tofajjal, underwent surgery to remove a second ‘head’ that had developed. Medical professionals diagnosed the additional growth as a ‘parasitic twin,’ weighing nearly a kilogram and containing brain tissue. Tofajjal was afflicted with a rare condition known as encephalomeningocele, affecting only one in 40,000-45,000 newborns, according to doctors.
A surgery was performed on an eight-month-old infant who developed a second head. Medical experts identified the additional head as a ‘parasitic twin’ weighing nearly a kilogram, containing brain tissue. The procedure successfully removed the anomalous growth.
The child, known as Tofajjal, was suffering from a rare disease called encephalomeningocele, said to affect one in 40,000-45,000 babies
He has now had the ‘head’ removed in a painstaking five-hour operation, health.india.com reported.
Neuro-surgeon Sisir Das, from Kolkata’s Apollo Gleneagles Hospital, told journalists outside:‘Tofajjal was born with a rare deformity – there was a second head maturing on top of his head.
‘I have never operated on such a big lesion. It was a very critical operation and slightest slip-up during the vital surgery might have ended the life of the baby.’
He added that even returning Tofajjal to his parents was a challenge, as they live in a very remote village.
Tofajjal’s father said he had all but given up hope that his son’s condition could be treated. ‘Most of the doctors and relatives in Tripura told us that our baby would not be cured and he might die soon, [so] we took him to Kolkata in a critical condition,’ said Shah Alam Mia, who works as a driver.
Shah Alam Mia and Sabι̇a Khatun, the parents of Tofajjal, expressed a sense of almost complete despair, believing that their son’s condition was beyond treatment. Facing a grim outlook and discouraging assessments from doctors and relatives in Tripura, they had reached a point where hope for Tofajjal’s recovery seemed almost lost.
Tofajjal has successfully undergone a meticulous five-hour operation to remove the additional ‘head,’ and reports indicate that he is recovering well. His wife expressed gratitude, stating that no one had initially believed their child would survive, but with the blessings of Allah, she is now taking him back home.
Encephalomeningocele, a neural tube defect more commonly observed in Southeast Asia, ɱaпifests with protrusion of both brains. Despite the challenging nature of the surgery, doctors have observed positive signs of a speedy recovery in Tofajjal. There is hope that he will be able to lead a relatively normal life following the successful intervention.