In a groundbreaking new medical report, surgeons revealed that an infant in Brazil was born with an extraordinary tail.
Doctors surgically removed the 6cm appendage, which was encased in skin and projected from her back.
A medical journal recently published an astonishing set of before-and-after photos that showcase her incredible transformation three years after undergoing a life-altering operation.
Literature has documented less than 200 occurrences of this pregnancy abnormality, making it a truly rare phenomenon.
The gripping story of an anonymous young girl was recently featured in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery Case Reports, giving readers a unique insight into her fascinating journey.
Born with a rare spinal defect known as spina bifida, the girl had an opening in her spine that developed during gestation.
According to the medical staff who cared for her, an anomaly in her genetic makeup is likely responsible for this girl having a tail.
Surgery not only shut the gap but also eradicated the appendage.
GRENDAAC, a hospital in Sao Paolo specializing in pediatric care, reported that the tail sprouted from the lumbosacral region – an area of the body connecting the spine to the pelvis.
Physicians detected the appendage to be a ‘human pseudo-tail’.
Pseudotails, or false tails, are an alarming phenomenon where tumors and spine malformations trigger the development of a tail-like extension.
Unlike true tails, which are comprised of muscle, blood vessels, and nerves but lack bones, these differ.
Researchers from the Center for Fetal and Placental Research in Ohio collaborated with Brazilian medical professionals to investigate this case.
They said: ‘Human caudal appendages are rare lesions that impose an enormous stigma on their carriers and parents.
‘Fetal caudal appendages are associated with spinal dysraphisms (spina bifida), and its presence, therefore, mandates careful screening for underlying spinal cord defects.
‘Identifying of the numerous possible associated anomalies is critical to plan the correct treatment and offer good quality counseling.’
To avoid further pain, growth, torsion, breakdown, and other discomforts resulting from stigma; surgery is deemed necessary.
It is believed that human tails develop from the embryonic tail which is naturally formed in utero.
During the gestation period, nearly every infant’s coccyx is reabsorbed back into their body to create the tailbone.
It is quite rare, but it’s believed that this can form into a tail in some cases.
Only one case of them running in families has been documented, yet doctors are still uncertain about what causes these birthmarks. They aren’t typically observed until after the baby is born and can come as a surprise to parents.
For the past 20 million years, our human ancestors have been separated from their monkey relatives and in that time we gradually lost our tails.
For certain cultures and religions, human tails are revered as sacred and worshipped.
