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-- Colorado Doctor Finds Foot In Newborn's Brain
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Posted by zoogla on Dec-18-2008 08:15:

HappyHappy Colorado Doctor Finds Foot In Newborn's Brain

quote:
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A Colorado Springs family is part of one of the strangest cases in medical history.

Dr. Paul Grabb, a pediatric brain surgeon, said he was surprised when he discovered a small foot growing inside the brain of 3-day-old Sam Esquibel.

"The foot literally popped out of the brain," Grabb told TheDenverChannel Wednesday.

The appendage threatened the newborn's life.

When Grabb performed the life-saving surgery at Memorial Hospital for Children in Colorado Springs, he was in for another surprise: he also found what appeared to be parts of an intestine in the folds of the infant's tiny brain, in addition to another developing foot, hand and thigh.

Click here for a photo of the foot. Warning: graphic content.

"I've never seen anything like it before," Grabb told the Colorado Springs Gazette. "It looked like the breach delivery of a baby coming out of the brain."

Sam was delivered on Oct. 1, within hours of an ultrasound that showed what appeared to be a tumor developing in the brain of the fetus. Three days later, Grabb performed the surgery to remove it.

The reason for the strange growth was not clear at first. It was thought to be a teratoma -- a congenital brain tumor composed of foreign tissue such as muscle, hair or teeth -- or a fetus in fetu, which is a developmental abnormality in which a fetal twin begins to form within the other.

Grabb, the only pediatric brain surgeon in southern Colorado, said that the formal pathology report identified the mass as a teratoma because of how perfectly formed the structure was but there is a fine line between that and the fetus in fetu.

"So it's unclear if a fetal twin began to form within another," Grabb said.

Grabb said he sees a teratoma once every few years but it doesn't compare to Sam's. Teratoma tumors do not usually grow as complex as a foot.

"You show those pictures to the most experienced pediatric neurosurgeons in the world, and they've never seen anything like it," Grabb told the Gazette. "This is completely abnormal."

Grabb said neurologically, Sam is expected to do well. Sam's brain tumor can come back so he will be monitoring that in the months and years to come.

Mom Says Baby A Miracle

Sam's mom, Tiffnie, told TheDenverChannel on Wednesday that her son is doing well but that she didn't want to appear on camera because she doesn't want to exploit her child and make him appear like a freak in the eyes of the world.

"This is our baby," Tiffnie explained, in tears.

She said when she first talked to the Gazette, she thought the story would only appear in the small-town paper. But it has circled the globe and she is getting calls from national and international media outlets.

"I am so overwhelmed right now ... We've been bombarded with calls," Tiffnie said.

DenverChannel.com Reporter Jane Slater held the infant with the baby blue eyes and round face and said "he is the cutest baby I've ever seen." Sam's at a healthy weight -- as evidenced by his pudgy arms and legs -- which explains why family members call him the "Michelin Man," Slater said.

He was alert and happy, with a barely visible inch-long scar which stretched from his hairline to the top of his cheek.

Sam is still recovering from the surgery and shows weakness on one side of his body and some trouble with higher-level eye functions. He is already undergoing rehabilitation.

Tiffnie had said that her pregnancy was easy and there were no signs of complications until the ultrasound on Oct. 1. She and her husband had given up on the idea of having any children after years of trying and then Sam was conceived. Tiffnie said she doesn't mind driving to the hospital every week or month for Sam's MRI and blood checks, considering that he is healthy and happy.

"It's a miracle," she said.

In the meantime, Grabb wonders about the possibilities for medical science.

"How does the body form complete extremities? Who is to say we can't grow a heart, leg or foot?" Grabb asked the Denver Post earlier. "This could show a window of what's possible."

"It's always impressive to see these sorts of things but it's not as unsual as you would think," said Dr. Rich Gustafson, with Cherry Creek Pediatrics. "Teratomas can be found in abdomens or other parts of the body ... what made this case so unusual is how perfectly formed the foot was and being in the skull as well. Usually, it's a totally safe and benign tumor. Often, it gets picked up in adulthood but now with ultrasound, you're actually picking more up as they are getting fetal ultrasounds."

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/hea...4/detail.html#-

NSFW image:
http://mishkanyc.com/bloglin/wp-con...369_640x480.jpg


Posted by Halcyon+On+On on Dec-18-2008 08:38:

Only in Colorado.

Springs. =/


Posted by Arbiter on Dec-18-2008 11:26:

quote:
Sam's brain tumor can come back so he will be monitoring that in the months and years to come.


...


Posted by Amduscias on Dec-18-2008 12:29:

Poor kid


Posted by Lira on Dec-18-2008 12:42:

Had they left the foot there, I'm sure the kid would've gotten a real kick out of his ideas


Posted by aquila on Dec-18-2008 13:07:

so with a brain like that would he have been at the foot of his class?


Posted by Lira on Dec-18-2008 13:17:

I'll go out on a limb here I and say I'd like to kick off a proper discussion about this article.


Posted by Rostros on Dec-18-2008 13:20:

" She can now take a step in the right direction "


Posted by Lira on Dec-18-2008 13:27:

The poor kid started life with the wrong foot


Posted by aquila on Dec-18-2008 13:37:

Well let's hope the surgery scars will heel.


Posted by zoogla on Dec-18-2008 13:59:

the poor kid will have to take his time to digest his thoughts


Posted by david.michael on Dec-18-2008 14:22:


Posted by Acton on Dec-18-2008 14:32:

That's the best picture of a foot growing out of a brain I have ever seen.


Posted by Arbiter on Dec-18-2008 14:46:

I hope he doesn't mind feet.


Posted by zoogla on Dec-18-2008 14:49:

quote:
Originally posted by david.michael

/fread


Posted by zoogla on Dec-18-2008 14:50:

quote:
Originally posted by Arbiter
I hope he doesn't mind feet up his ass

corrected for intestinal content


Posted by colonelcrisp on Dec-18-2008 17:22:

quote:
he also found what appeared to be parts of an intestine in the folds of the infant's tiny brain


well it wouldn't be unfair to say, then, that this kid has shit for brains....


Posted by zoogla on Dec-18-2008 17:53:

quote:
Originally posted by colonelcrisp
well it wouldn't be unfair to say, then, that this kid has shit for brains....

if that's true then i think he should get his mind out of the gutter.


Posted by jupiterone on Dec-18-2008 17:55:

it's a miracle!!!!!!!

the lord has finally come. it is judgement day, foot in the brain.


Posted by infinity HiGH on Dec-18-2008 17:55:

I wonder if this is related to the feet showing up on shores in BC.


Posted by zoogla on Dec-18-2008 17:58:

i think this is a textbook case of a mindfuck.


Posted by Abercrombie on Dec-18-2008 17:59:

didn't we just have a foot-pun thread already a few weeks ago when another foot washed up on shore? too early


Posted by zoogla on Dec-18-2008 18:03:

quote:
Originally posted by Abercrombie
didn't we just have a foot-pun thread already a few weeks ago when another foot washed up on shore? too early

if you could get your head out of your ass for a moment, you'd see that there are a variety of anatomical options available in this thread.


Posted by somethinfierce on Dec-18-2008 18:14:

the operation wasnt as sucessful as Dr Grabb had thought...


Posted by zoogla on Dec-18-2008 18:33:

the surgeon must be getting a kick out of this


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