Baby girl born in Central Java with four legs
Baby girl born in Central Java with four legs
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
It is rare here for a surgeon to separate Siamese twins, but
currently a medical team at Sardjito General Hospital in
Yogyakarta are working on a much more challenging case to save a
five-day-old baby girl who was born with four legs to a couple in
Klaten, Central Java.
The deputy director of the hospital's maternity and prenatal
department, Ahmad Suryono, said here on Tuesday that the medical
team comprising of gynecologist, pediatrician, internist,
pediatrician and cosmetic surgeon had been working hard since the
baby, delivered through Caesarean section at Muhammadiyah
hospital in Klaten, was admitted last Friday.
"She was breathing very rapidly when she arrived and her
condition worsened the following day," said Ahmad.
The third daughter of Suryani, 27, and Wasilan, 30, of
Methukan, Kuncen village, Ceper, Klaten regency, the baby has
four legs with two of them attached to the other two, extending
to the left and right sides of the baby's body. She also has two
vaginas, two urinary tracts, two anuses and two backbones.
Despite the pairs of other body parts, her head, arms and
lungs are normal.
Other abnormalities include the lower part of the baby's
stomach which is not completely covered with flesh and skin so
that several internal organs are visible.
"The other abnormality is that she has a hole in her heart,"
Ahmad said, causing a lack of oxygen in the blood.
The team of doctors did not state their main objectives in
trying to save the baby's life. Many have questioned whether the
medical team were trying to help the baby or using the
opportunity to further their knowledge.
"We plan to do corrective surgery in phases but it looks
impossible now as her condition remains critical.
"That's why the medical team has also decided not to give the
2.1-kilogram and 43 centimeter baby any milk but intravenous
feeding instead," he said.
Separately, the head of the hospital's marketing department,
Trisno Heru Nugroho, said that the hospital would not charge the
family any medical fees and instead would call on prospective
donors who were concerned about the baby to provide donations for
the medical treatment payable directly to the hospital's
management.