Hyderabad: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bibinagar, recently announced the success of a rare surgery to remove a human tail from a three-month-old infant in January 2024.
The success of the surgery was announced this month after observing the after effects on the child.
The surgery, led by Dr. Shashank Panda, head of the pediatric department at AIIMS Bibinagar, is one of only about 40 such cases to have been successfully operated on worldwide.
The infant, a male from Telangana state, was born with a 15-centimeter long human tail protruding from the lumbosacral region. Human tails are a rare congenital malformation, with only a few dozen cases reported in medical literature.
The child also had associated occult spinal dysraphism from S1 to S5 vertebrae and anchored spinal cord syndrome, which increased the complexity of the surgery.
A team of three doctors at AIIMS Bibinagar performed the intricate surgery in January 2024, taking two and a half hours to remove the tail and reconstruct the child’s spinal canal. The procedure involved carefully dissecting and repairing a spina bifida connected to the spinal cord.
After five days, the infant was discharged from the hospital with no neurological deficits. Six months post-surgery, the patient showed good wound healing and no complications.
Dr. Panda emphasized that the successful surgery was a testament to the skilled team at AIIMS Bibinagar and the institute’s commitment to providing advanced medical care.
AIIMS Bibinagar, established in 2019 as part of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, is one of the six All India Institutes of Medical Sciences set up to address regional imbalances in accessible tertiary healthcare.
The institute, located in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri District, Telangana, occupies a 200-acre campus and is expected to be fully operational by September 2022.
The successful removal of the rare human tail from the infant showcases the expertise and capabilities of the medical professionals at AIIMS Bibinagar. As the institute continues to grow and expand its services, it is poised to become a leading center for advanced medical care in the region.
