Top 10 Bizzare Medical Anomalies
10.Diprosopus
Diprospus (sometimes called Craniofacial duplication) is a rare
disorder in which the face is duplicated on the head (as in the picture
above). This is not to be confused with fetus in fetu (item 9) which is
a joining of two separate fetuses; diprosopus is caused by a protein
called (believe it or not) “sonic hedgehog homolog”. The odd name is
due to a controversial tradition in molecular biology to use unusual
names for genes. The protein determines the makeup of the face, and
when there is too much of it, you get a second face in a mirror image.
If you do not have enough of the protein, you can end up with
underdeveloped facial features. Children with this defect are normally
stillborn, but a young girl, Lali Singh, born in 2008 survived for 2
full months before dying of a heart attack.
The man pictured above is Sanju Bhagat aged 36 from India. He is
fully pregnant with his own twin. Because Sanju lacked a placenta, the
fetus inside him attached directly to his blood supply. Doctors
delivered the twin which was severely malformed and did not survive.
Fetus in fetu is an extremely rare disorder in which a twin somehow
becomes connected (internally or partly externally) to its twin while
still in the womb. In some cases the fetus in fetu will remain inside
the host twin unknown until it begins to cause problems. In more common
cases, the signs are visible from the outset and are often initially
confused with cysts or cancers. In a recent case a 7 year old boy was
discovered to be carrying his twin when his parents noticed that
something was moving in his stomach. You can read more about that
here.
8 . Proteus Syndrome
The Elephant Man (Joseph Merrick) is probably the most famous case of
Proteus Syndrome. The disease causes excessive bone growth, excessive
skin growth, and frequently comes with tumors. Only 200 cases have been
confirmed worldwide since the disease was officially discovered in
1979. It is possible to have a minor form of this disease which can go
undiagnosed. The case of the Elephant Man has been the sole reason that
this disease is so widely known. Sufferers have normal brain function
and intelligence.
7. Möbius Syndrome
Möbius Syndrome is a rare disorder in which the facial muscles are
paralyzed. In most cases the eyes are also unable to move from side to
side. The disease prevents a sufferer from having any facial
expressions, which can make them appear to be uninterested or “dull” –
sometimes leading to people thinking they are rude. Sufferers have
completely normal mental development. The causes are not fully
understood and there is no treatment aside from addressing the symptoms
(such as an inability to feed as a baby).
6. Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome
Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria syndrome (progeria) will be familiar to
people old enough to remember the television program That’s Incredible
from the ’80s in which a young sufferer of the disorder appeared. The
disease causes premature aging – so rapidly that a young child can look
like a very old man (or, if I may be so callous as to point out the
obvious, an alien – as in the photograph above). The disease is
especially interesting for scientists as it may lend clues to the
natural aging process in man. The disease is caused by a genetic
mutation, and does not pass from parent to child. There is no known
cure, and most children with the disease do not live beyond the age of
thirteen – usually dying of stroke or heart attack (diseases usually
associated with old age).
5 . Cutaneous Porphyria
Cutaneous porphyria is a disorder that causes blisters, excess hair,
swelling, and necrosis of the skin. It can cause red colored teeth and
fingernails, and after exposure to sun, urine can turn purple, pink,
brown, or black. The disease is thought to be connected to the many
werewolf and vampire legends of the past, where a sufferer (who would
have lived apart from society) might have been confused for a monster.
The disease is part of the more general group of disorders called
porphyrias which cover a range of mental and physical disorders due to
the overproduction of certain enzymes in the body. The disease gets its
name from the Greek word “porphura” which means “purple pigment”.
4. Elephantiasis
First off, note the spelling – it is Elephant-
iasis not Elephant-
itis
as many people wrongly think. Elephantiasis is a thickening of the
skin (as opposed to proteus syndrome which is a thickening of the bones
as well as the skin). Unfortunately, this is a disease that any one of
us can get as it is caused by parasitic worms passed on through mosquito
bites. It is, consequently, not uncommon in tropical regions and
Africa. A slightly different form of the disease is caused through
contact with certain types of soil. In some parts of Ethiopa, up to 6%
of the population suffers from the disorder. It is one of the most
common disabilities in the world. Efforts to eradicate the disease are
well underway and it is hoped that it will be successfully relegated to
the annals of history by 2020.
3. Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP for short) is a very rare
disease that causes parts of the body (muscles, tendons, and ligaments)
to turn to bone when they are damaged. This can often cause damaged
joints to fuse together, preventing movement. Unfortunately surgical
removal of the bone growths is ineffective as the body “heals” itself by
recreating the removed bone. To make matters worse, the disease is so
rare that it is often misdiagnosed as cancer, leading doctors to perform
biopsies which can spark off worse growth of these bone-like lumps.
The most famous case is Harry Eastlack whose body was so ossified by his
death that he could only move his lips. His skeleton is now on display
at the
Mütter Museum. There is no cure.
2 .Lewandowsky-Lutz Dysplasia
Lewandowsky-Lutz Dysplasia (also known as Epidermodysplasia
verruciformis) is an extremely rare inheritable disorder in which warts
form on the skin. It normally affects the hands and feet and while it
can start in middle ages, it normally begins between the ages of one and
twenty. There is no known effective treatment for the disease though
surgery can be used to remove the warts. Unfortunately, after surgery
the warts begin to return and it is estimated that a sufferer would need
at least two surgeries per year to remove them each time they grow
back. In 2007 a sufferer had surgery for the disease and thirteen pounds
(5.8 kilos) of warts were removed. 95% of the warts were removed.
1.Diphallia
Diphallia (also known as Penile Duplication) is a condition in which a
male is born with two penises. It is a rare disorder with only 1,000
cases recorded. Sufferers are also at a higher risk of spina bifida
than men with one penis. A person with diphallia can urinate from one
or both of his penises. In most cases, both penises are side by side
and the same size, but occasionally one smaller penis will sit atop
another larger one. One in 5.5 million men in the United States have
two penises.
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