Colorado Doctor Finds Foot In Newborn's Brain Infant Recovering After Surgery

[HAL 9000 96]

Colorado Doctor Finds Foot In Newborn's Brain</h1><h2 class="SubHead">Infant Recovering After Surgery

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A Colorado Springs family is part of one of the strangest cases in medical history.Dr. Paul Grabb, a pediatric brain surgeon, said he discovered a small foot growing inside the brain of 3-day-old Sam Esquibel.The appendage threatened the newborn's life.

When Grabb performed the life-saving surgery at Memorial Hospital for Children in Colorado Springs, he was in for another surprise: he also found what appeared to be parts of an intestine in the folds of the infant's tiny brain, in addition to another developing foot, hand and thigh.Click here for a photo of the foot. Warning: graphic content. "I've never seen anything like it before," Grabb told the Colorado Springs Gazette. "It looked like the breach delivery of a baby coming out of the brain."Sam Esquibel was delivered on Oct. 1, within hours of an ultrasound that showed what appeared to be a tumor developing in the brain of the fetus.Three days later, Grabb performed the surgery to remove it.Grabb was unavailable Wednesday for further interviews. He is the only pediatric brain surgeon in southern Colorado.Erin Emery, a spokeswoman for Memorial Hospital, confirmed details of the amazing surgery that took place at the hospital on Oct. 3.The reason for the strange growth is not known. It may be a teratoma -- a congenital brain tumor composed of foreign tissue such as muscle, hair or teeth. Those types of tumors do not usually grow as complex as a foot.It could also be a case of fetus in fetu, which is a developmental abnormality in which a fetal twin begins to form within the other.Grabb told the paper he sees a teratoma once every few years but it doesn't compare to Sam's."You show those pictures to the most experienced pediatric neurosurgeons in the world, and they've never seen anything like it," Grabb told the Gazette.Sam's mom, Tiffnie, told TheDenverChannel on Wednesday that her son is at home and is doing well. She directed further questions to Memorial Hospital.Emery said the family doesn't want their son's story to become a media circus and are no longer giving interviews.Sam is still recovering from the surgery and shows weakness on one side of his body and some trouble with higher-level eye functions. He is already undergoing rehabilitation.Tiffnie had said that her pregnancy was easy and there were no signs of complications until the ultrasound on Oct. 1. The couple had given up on the idea of having any children after years of trying and then Sam was conceived. Tiffnie said she doesn't mind driving to the hospital every week or month for Sam's MRI and blood checks, considering that he is healthy and happy.In the meantime, Grabb wonders about the possibilities for medical science."How does the body form complete extremities? Who is to say we can't grow a heart, leg or foot?" Grabb asked the Denver Post earlier. "This could show a window of what's possible."

Edited December 17, 2008 by HAL 9000

[Amby 490]

holy sh*t that's awesome in a nerdy scientific way.

[HAL 9000 96]

Reminds me of that Timothy Hutton film from the 90s... something about a brain tumor that was an evil-spirited twin brother...

[Amby 490]

just looked at the photo too...wow!

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Weird!

[MariaBonita 11]

All I can say is -

[bhajishah 4]

Please follow up on the testing to see if it actually grown or inded from a twin.

[Niels Bohr 72]

I do have a theory about multiple personality disorder. Suppose that the person born should've been born as twins. However, if the twin didn't develope, but developed in the same physical space at the person and occupy the same space-time then it is possible the person will have multiple personality.

[Amby 490]

I do have a theory about multiple personality disorder. Suppose that the person born should've been born as twins. However, if the twin didn't develope, but developed in the same physical space at the person and occupy the same space-time then it is possible the person will have multiple personality.

another possible world?

[Nothing1234 2]

Wacky...

[Mononoke28 135]

=X

Diana

[Nothing1234 2]

I do have a theory about multiple personality disorder. Suppose that the person born should've been born as twins. However, if the twin didn't develope, but developed in the same physical space at the person and occupy the same space-time then it is possible the person will have multiple personality.

another possible world?

[Jasman0717 9]

Now I know why I am a programmer

[HAL 9000 96]

Didn't get that one.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Actually I have heard of stem cell treatments where the wrong set of stem cells is implanted in the wrong part of the body - and you can end up with hair and teeth growing in places they aren't supposed to.

I would guess that some natural defect has resulted in the same outcome.