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Dicephalic parapagus twins

Rare form of partial twinning

Summary

Rare form of partial twinning

thumb|Skeletal structure of dicephalic twins. B. C. Hirst & G. A. Piersol, Human monstrosities. Wellcome L0027955. (1893) Dicephalic parapagus () is a rare form of partial twinning with two heads side by side on one torso.{{cite journal | doi-access= free | access-date = April 15, 2016}} The condition is also called parapagus dicephalus.

If carried to term, most dicephalic twins are stillborn, or die soon after birth. A small number are known to have survived to adulthood.{{cite journal | doi-access= free

The extent to which limbs and organs are duplicated varies from case to case. One head may be only partially developed (anencephalic),{{cite journal |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160131204838/http://www.turkishjournalpediatrics.org/pediatrics/pdf/pdf_TJP_1160.pdf |archive-date = 2016-01-31

Their prospects are best if no attempt is made to separate them, except in cases in which one twin is clearly dying.

Terminology

Dicephalus means two-headed. Parapagus means joined side by side.{{cite journal |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160131204838/http://www.turkishjournalpediatrics.org/pediatrics/pdf/pdf_TJP_1160.pdf |archive-date = 2016-01-31

Dicephalic twins are called:

  • dibrachius, if they have two arms altogether (one for each twin),
  • tribrachius, if they have three arms altogether,{{cite journal | doi-access= free
  • tetrabrachius, if they have four arms altogether,
  • dipus, if they have two legs altogether (one for each twin).

Incidence

Conjoined twins appear in one in 50,000 to one in 100,000 births. Dicephalic twins represent about 11 percent of all conjoined twins.{{cite journal | url-access= subscription

Medical and social response

As late as the 1960s, some medical publications argued that newborn dicephalic twins should not be actively treated or resuscitated. An attempt at surgical separation was reported in a paper published in 1982, but did not result in long-term survival of either twin.{{cite journal | url-access= subscription |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160131204838/http://www.turkishjournalpediatrics.org/pediatrics/pdf/pdf_TJP_1160.pdf |archive-date = 2016-01-31

Dicephalic twins who survived past infancy

Giacomo and Giovanni Battista Tocci (1877–1940), were Italian male dicephalus parapagus twins who survived to adulthood.{{cite journal |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160131204838/http://www.turkishjournalpediatrics.org/pediatrics/pdf/pdf_TJP_1160.pdf |archive-date = 2016-01-31

Abby and Brittany Hensel, born in Minnesota in 1990, are American female dicephalus parapagus twins.{{cite journal |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160131204838/http://www.turkishjournalpediatrics.org/pediatrics/pdf/pdf_TJP_1160.pdf |archive-date = 2016-01-31 | access-date = April 15, 2016}} and completed courses at college. They earned their teaching licenses and now teach in the fifth grade.

Ayşe and Sema Tanrıkulu, born in 2000, are Turkish female dicephalus parapagus twins. They are tetrabrachius dipus like the Tocci brothers, with four arms and two legs all together. As with the Toccis and the Hensels, it was found that each twin controls one leg.{{cite journal |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160131204838/http://www.turkishjournalpediatrics.org/pediatrics/pdf/pdf_TJP_1160.pdf |archive-date = 2016-01-31 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160131204838/http://www.turkishjournalpediatrics.org/pediatrics/pdf/pdf_TJP_1160.pdf |archive-date = 2016-01-31 | access-date = December 14, 2023}}

References

References

  1. Quigley, Christine. (2006). "Conjoined Twins". McFarland.
  2. Quigley, Christine. (2006). "Conjoined Twins". McFarland.
  3. Quigley, Christine. (2006). "Conjoined Twins". McFarland.
  4. (October 2010). "Craniopagus parasiticus: A rare case". Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.
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