Epigastric heteropagus twins: 3 case reports with review of literature

Heteropagus twins: six cases with systematic review and embryological insights

PURPOSE

Heteropagus twinning (HT) is a rare anomaly. Six new cases along with a systematic review are described.

METHODS

Six cases of HT managed at two tertiary care teaching hospitals over the last 26 years are described. A PubMed search with words: Heteropagus AND/ OR parasitic twins from 2001 to 2021 hit 183 articles. 36 were added from non-PubMed sources. Finally, 120 cases including 114 from 69 articles and 6 new cases were analysed.

RESULTS

Of the new cases, 2/6 had an antenatal diagnosis. Five were males. 4 autosites had omphaloceles. Split notochord and 2 parasites attached to a single autosite were encountered. 5/6 autosites survived. On systematic review, the most frequent variant seen was rachipagus (n = 50) followed by omphalopagus (n = 46). Limbs were reported in 75 cases. Congenital heart disease was seen in 17/120(14.2%) autosites. Omphalocele and meningomyelocele were the most common extracardiac anomalies in autosites. Weight along with the anatomy and position of heteropagus twins was a better determinant of the mode of delivery than weight alone. Mortality was reported in 12 cases.

CONCLUSION

Autosites in HT generally carry a good prognosis, however, final outcome depends mainly on associated major cardiac anomalies. Meticulous antenatal assessment and preoperative planning are of paramount importance.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Epigastric heteropagus and omphalocele

We report a case of epigastric heteropagus twins with omphalocele. The parasite had two lower limbs, genitalia with developed phallus and scrotum but absent testis and absent anus. An omphalocele was present just below the attachment of the parasitic twin. No kidney or ureter but only a bladder filled with urine seen during exploration. The parasite bowel was attached to an omphalocele sac prolapsing through it and there was connection to the autosite liver, which forms the main source of its blood supply. Surgery was performed in the neonatal period (Day 12 after birth) for both excision of epigastric heteropagus and omphalocele repair.

Omphalocele and epigastric heteropagus: implications and treatment

In heteropagus twins, the parasitic twin is incompletely formed which is attached to the autosite. We report a case of epigastric heteropagus twins with omphalocele. The parasite had two lower limbs, a rudimentary upper limb, genitalia with developed phallus and scrotum but absent testis. An omphalocele was present just below the attachment of the parasitic twin. A single kidney with ureter and a bladder filled with urine seen during exploration. The parasite bowel was attached to a sleeve of liver tissue from the autosite within the omphalocele sac and this connection was also the main source of its blood supply. Less than 20 cases of omphalocele with EH have been reported previously. The thin sac with underlying adherent bowel led us to go ahead with surgery in the neonatal period for both, excision of epigastric heteropagus and omphalocele repair. The rectus sheath around the omphalocele sac helped in the final wound closure.

Gluteal flap for omphalocele repair in a case of epigastric heteropagus: A novel approach for surgical management

Epigastric heteropagus is an extremely rare congenital anomaly, in which there is asymmetrical conjoined twinning, with the parasitic twin attached to the epigastrium. A 2-day-old male, with epigastric heteropagus and omphalocele, was operated in our institution. After excision of the parasitic twin, omphalocele was covered with a gluteal skin flap available from the parasitic twin. Post-operative course was uneventful, except for infection along the edges of the skin flaps, which was managed conservatively. Only 44 cases of epigastric heteropagus twins have been reported previously in world literature. We present a novel surgical approach for the repair of the omphalocele in a case of epigastric heteropagus twins, probably the 45(th) case to be reported in the world literature.

Case of cephalothoracopagus conjoined twinning in an embryonic mouse

BACKGROUND

Cephalothoracopagus twinning is extremely rare, and it is characterized by fusion of the head and thorax, two separate spines, pelves, and fore- and hindlimbs.

CASE

In this case study, we describe cephalothoracopagus twinning in an embryonic mouse displaying a large but exencephalic head, median facial cleft, a single eye, and a second hindbrain rotated roughly 90° from a second spinal cord. There is a bony connection joining the clavicles, resulting in merged asternal thoracic cavities containing two hearts and four lungs. The abdominal cavities contain double caudal digestive tract structures, but a single esophagus and stomach.

CONCLUSION

There are several proposed theories regarding the mechanism of spontaneous conjoined twinning; however, the specific mechanisms are still largely unknown. In this report, we highlight the morphological features in a murine example of cephalothoracopagus twinning, furthering our understanding of this rare occurrence while also demonstrating developmental morphogenesis consistent with that reported for human conjoined twins.

An unusual case of heteropagus: autosite with a complex cardiac malformation

Asymmetrical form of conjoined twinning (heteropagus) is an extremely rare event with an incidence of 1-2 million live births. The incomplete component of heteropagus, namely, parasite, usually consists of rudimentary organs. Therefore, the autosite component of heteropagus can be separated successfully. A wide spectrum of associated congenital cardiac malformations, which are usually minor, has been described in autosites. However, a single-ventricle heart anomaly in the autosite has been reported in a very few cases. We report an unusual case of heteropagus with a complex cardiac malformation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the third heteropagus case in the literature with a single-ventricle heart in the autosite.

Heteropagus (parasitic) twins: a review

Heteropagus, or "parasitic," twins are asymmetric conjoined twins in which the tissues of a severely defective twin (parasite) are dependent on the cardiovascular system of the other, largely intact twin (autosite) for survival. The estimated incidence of heteropagus twins is approximately 1 per 1 million live births. Isolated case reports comprise most of published work on this rare congenital anomaly. In the past, review articles have focused narrowly on one particular anatomical subtype of parasitic twin and/or on the anatomicopathology observed. Here, we present the epidemiology, proposed pathoembryogenic origins, anatomical abnormalities, management, and outcomes of the wide array of heteropagus twins described in the English language literature.

Successful ambulation by surgical conversion in a complex form of epigastric heteropagus

A female neonate with a complex form of epigastric heteropagus and with three legs was referred to us. The left leg appeared normal, the central one was hypoplastic and resected 1 month after birth, and the right one projected in the cranial direction with knee flexion contracture. Three bones of the parasite were sandwiched between the right ilium and the ischiopubic bones of the autosite. At the age of 4, we performed the subtrochanteric femoral osteotomy with 90 degrees of varization and rotation, along with knee disarticulation. Ambulation was successfully achieved with the prosthesis with a multiaxis knee unit.

Umbilical heteropagous twinning: a case report

Heteropagous conjoined twins are rare and umbilical heteropagous conjoined twins are extremely rare. We present a case with umbilical heteropagous conjoined twins and discuss the diagnosis and management. The parasitic component of heteropagous can be separated and treated successfully in the majority of cases.

Bizarre Presentation of Epigastric Heteropagus: Report of a Case

We report an unusual case of epigastric heteropagus in a female neonate. The parasite had a single lung as well as a liver, stomach, intestine, pancreas, ovaries, a single kidney, and a bladder. These visceral organs were located in the abdominal and pelvic space of the autosite, and the pelvic bone and lower legs of the parasite were fused with the respective organs in the autosite. The infant underwent operations to remove the central leg and some of the intra-abdominal organs of the parasite, but she must still undergo further surgery to remove the genitourinary organs and pelvic bones of the parasite, and repair her very abducted and rotated right leg.