after undergoing a risky procedure to have the head removed.
Only a few months old, Asree Gul was discharged from a hospital in
eastern Afghanistan after doctors successfully removed the extra head
from her scalp, reports the BBC.
Born to farmers in the Chaparhar district, Asree also has a twin
sister, who was delivered without complications. Asree's unique
condition, however, made it difficult for her to sleep.
The hospital's chief surgeon, Ahmad Obaid Mojadidi, told the Agence
France-Pressethat the complicated operation performed on Chaparhar was
the first of its kind in the region.
Asree, whose name means "new flower," was not in good condition after
the procedure, according to the AFP. Her father, Nematullah, said he
had not expected his infant daughter to survive the surgery.
"The doctors saved her life. I thank them," Nematullah told AFP.
Doctors believe Asree's birth defect is caused when a baby, in this
case Asree's potential triplet, does not develop correctly in utero,
according to the BBC.
While not officially confirmed, this case appears similar to a rare
condition called craniopagus parasiticus, in which an underdeveloped
twin is attached to its fully-formed counterpart. One of the most
famous examples of craniopagus parasiticus was Egyptian Manar Maged,
who had the head of her twin removed in 2005 when she was 10 months
old, reported The Telegraph. While that operation was initially
successful, the girl developed a severe brain infectionand died about
a year after the surgery.
I hope the baby could be flown to the United States for the best neuro surgeon in the world...Dr. Ben Carson to work his charm on her. If they have competent Doctors in Afghanistan that can do their best, then I just pray she survives it.
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