Weird Anomalies in Medicine

True Hermaphroditism

Frequency: Around 500 documented cases in the world. The real frequency in the population is not known.

Cause: Hermaphrodites are chimeras. It is caused by the fusion of two zygotes of differente sex. That is to say, a first spermatozoid would fertilize a ovum and, later, another spermatozoid would fertilize another ovum. The zygotes that would be formed and that were destined to being twins, end up fusing and becoming an only individual that, genetically, is woman and man at the same time. It is unknown why that fusion of zygotes takes place.

Description: Hermaphrodites have both testicular and ovarian tissue. These two can be mixed, wich is called ovotestis or be separated elements, on the one hand a testicle and on the other an ovary. The external genitals are ambiguous and have components of both sexes. Hermaphrodites can have femenine or masculine appearance.

Proteus Syndrome

Frequency: At the moment, 200 documented cases all around the world. It seems that a case apperars by more of a million births.

Cause: Unknown. Authors defend that it is probably caused by a somatic mosaicism of a lethal dominant gene. Other authors suggest that it is caused by a recombination in the embryo, giving rise to three types of cells: Normal cells, cells of minimum growth and cells of excessive growth.

Description: Exists a great amount of cutaneous and subcutaneous malformations, with hyperpigmentation, vascular malformations and irregular growth of bones. Partial gigantism of the limbs and the excessive growth of the fingers whereas some zones of the body grow less that what they would have. All of this causes an extreme disfigurement of the person who oftehn are socially. Josep Merrick, the famous "Elephant Man", suffered from this syndrome.

True Human Tail (Vestigial Tail)

Frequency: Around 100 documented cases all around the world.

Cause: It isn´t well known. Some scientists think it is caused by a mutation of the genes that produce the cellular death that were detined to create a tail.

Description: It is observed the presence of a vestigial tail in the final zone of the sacred bone. This tail is compound of conective tissue, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, skin, vertebrae and cartilage.

Parasite Twin (Fetus in Fetus)

Frequency: Around 100 documented cases around the world.

Cause: It is a exaggerated case of siamese twins. Two twins don´t get to separate completely when they are zygotes and they are united by some zone. One of these twins grows healthy whereas the other degenerates, remaining inside the healthy twin and depending completely on him. It is unkown why these twins don´t separate correctly.

Description: When the host fetus is able to survive the childbirth, this one can show a swelling up in the zone where the parasitic fetus locates itself. 80% of times, they are in the abdominal region, but also in skull, sacred region, scrotum... It can grow unnoticed, at the beginning. Later, the parasitic fetus will continue to grow at the same time the host does.

When making imaga tests, the organs are observed in places where the wouldn´t have to exist. Although tiny legs, arms, fingers, hair or any other element of the fetus can be seen if he has developed them. There aren´t two equal cases of fetus in fetus, since parasitic fetus can locate themselves in very different zones in host fetus and, therefore, the growth and elements that has gotten to develop will be variable. There are very developed parasitic fetuses and others that only have a little number of organs.

Moebius Syndrome

Frequency: Around 80 documented cases in Spain, 200 in U.K... In Europe, around 300 kids appear with this syndrome each year.

>Cause: Unknown. Nobody knows if those that are affected in the origine of the disesase are nerves, brain stem or muscles. Many and varied hypothesis but without proofs that confirm them.

Description:Because some face nerves are not developed, the people who are born with this syndrome lack face expression. They cannot smile, frown, move the eyes laterally or control the blinking. They are often found sleeping with the open eyes. They have great difficulties in sucking, swallowing, speaking and any activity in which are implied muscles of the face.

via: medtempus.com