A Case of Ischiopagus Dicephalus Conjoined Twins with Tetrabrachius Bipus from Dessie, Ethiopia.

The development of conjoined twins always catches the eyes of researchers and clinicians. Beyond the rareness of the cases, how they develop is a debatable issue. This report presented a case of ischiopagus conjoined twins who had two heads (dicephalus), four upper extremities (tetrabrachius), and were joined below the chest with two lower extremities (bipus). The twin's mother was referred from a primary hospital to Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital for proper management of twin pregnancy, where a cesarean section was performed. The mother and her husband have no family history of birth defects or exposure to known teratogens. On imaging, the twins had separate hearts, lungs, and kidneys but a single liver, spleen, stomach, and intestine. They also shared genitourinary structures: a single penis with sub-coronal hypospadias and one imperforate anus. In addition, their placenta was single with one umbilical vein and two umbilical arteries. The conjoined twins had multiple accompanying cardiovascular anomalies but no external craniofacial, extremity, or brain anomalies. They passed away after 36 hours of follow-up in the neonatal intensive care unit at Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.

Utility of Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging After Ultrasound in Differentiating Dicephalic Dibrachius Dipus Twin Gestation From Craniopagus Parasiticus.

Conjoined twins represent a very rare congenital anomaly, and the dicephalic dibrachius dipus (DDD) type of conjoined twinning is so rare that the exact prevalence is unknown. Only a few published case studies have mentioned this anomaly. Not enough data are available where antenatal ultrasonography (USG) and MRI have been employed in the workup of such cases. This study describes the case of a 24-year-old woman who came to our department for an anomaly scan at 25 weeks of gestation and was diagnosed with a dicephalic type of conjoined twinning with multiple anomalies. However, USG could not differentiate between DDD twinning and craniopagus parasiticus; hence, the patient was referred for fetal MRI. On MRI, the diagnosis of DDD was confirmed. In craniopagus parasiticus twinning, the surgical removal of the parasitic head can allow an everyday life. However, DDD twinning with multiple anomalies is not compatible with life, and the mother was thoroughly explained the grave prognosis. In such doubtful cases, fetal MRI should always be employed to ascertain the diagnosis for proper management and counseling.

Dicephalus parapagus conjoined twins.

Dicephalus parapagus are conjoined twins with two separate heads. Proper identification helps in patient counseling and timely referral to specialist centers.

Symmetric undivided diplopagus with cardiac malformation in a Japanese wild boar (Sus scrofa leucomystax).

A captured Japanese wild boar (Sus scrofa leucomystax) fetus was dicephalic. The fetus had two heads, but one body from the cranial neck region. Computed tomography imaging revealed that the two crania merged at the occipital bone, and the vertebral bodies between the atlas and the seventh thoracic vertebra were deformed. The fetus was found to have two tongues and laryngopharynges, but its esophagus and trachea were not duplicated. Each head contained a cerebrum and cerebellum, but the brains merged at the obex of the medulla oblongata, and the cervical spinal cord had duplicated ventral clefts. The heart was composed of three atria and four ventricles. This is the first report of a dicephalus with cardiac malformation in a wild boar.

We Are Human Beings.

In this paper, I examine Jeff McMahan's arguments for his claim that we are not human organisms, and the arguments of Derek Parfit to the same effect in a recent paper. McMahan uses these arguments to derive conclusions concerning the moral status of embryos and permanent vegetative state (PVS) patients. My claim will be that neither thinker has successfully shown that we are not human beings, and therefore these arguments do not establish the ethical conclusions that McMahan has sought to draw from the arguments in respect of the moral status of embryos and PVS patients.

Dicephalus dipus dibrachius: conjoined twins through the ages.

Conjoined twins are the most rare form of monozygotic twinning occurring when there is incomplete division of the embryonic disc after day 13 post conception. This is associated with a very high risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Prognosis is dependent on the site and extent of fusion and the degree of sharing of vital organs. Most conjoined twins die in utero or in the early neonatal period. However less severe cases can be successfully separated. This is a review of the types of conjoined twinning, an historical perspective and a case of a rare form known as dicephalus dipus dibrachius (two heads and a single body with two arms and two legs).

Dicephalus tribrachius conjoined twins: Case report and review of literature.

Conjoined twins is a phenomenon believed to be caused by either delayed splitting of the fertilized ovum or fusion of the embryonic stem cells. Disorganization of mutant genes is believed to be a cause in some cases. We report a case of stillborn dicephalus tribrachius female conjoined twins with features that are not reported previously in the literature with a single umbilical artery and two urinary bladders. The cause of intrauterine death in this case was probably multi-factorial i.e. severe anemia in the mother, congestive heart failure, complications of obstructed labor and multiple skull fractures.