Abstract
Fetus in fetu (FIF) is a very rare condition in which malformed fetus is found within the body of a living twin, most commonly within the retroperitoneum. It is a parasitic fetal twin of a diamniotic, monozygotic type. It should be differentiated from teratoma by the presence of organized vertebral column and appropriately arranged other organs or limbs around it. There is no such axial arrangement in teratoma, which has also got definite malignant potential. We report a case of FIF in a 21-year-old lady who presented late with nonspecific abdominal symptoms. Preoperative diagnosis of FIF in this case was made on computed tomography, and the patient underwent exploratory laparotomy with complete excision of mass. The excised mass in a sac was proven to be FIF on the basis of gross and histopathological examination. Surgical excision is the ideal treatment even teratoma being the differential diagnosis.
Highlights
Fetus in fetu (FIF) is an extremely rare developmental condition
We aim to report this case since this case is one of the only few cases of FIF in a female gender of early twenties
Fetus in fetu occurs secondary to abnormal embryogenesis in a monochorionic diamniotic pregnancy in which a malformed parasitic twin is found inside the body of its partner as an abdominal fetiform mass [1,2,3]
Summary
Fetus in fetu (FIF) is an extremely rare developmental condition. It occurs in about 1 in 500 000 live births, and around 200 cases have been reported in medical literature to the best of our knowledge. There is absence of independent circulatory system which explains the subsequent growth retardation It has gone through the stage of primitive streak and that is why it has vertebral body and organs arranged around the axis. The embryo pathogenesis of FIF has been described by the “included-twin” theory, which explains FIF as a diamniotic, monochorionic, monozygotic twin embodying into the body of the host twin after colligation of the vitelline circulation [4]. It was first described by Johann Friedrich Meckel in the late 18th century [5]. Majority of cases have been described in neonates and children, and only few cases have been reported after the age of 15 years and most of them are male [4]
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