11/11/2023 0 Comments Human tail![]() ![]() The rare re-appearance of these ancient organs are result of re-expression of their switched off genes. Recent advances in genetic research reveal that ‘of those organs lost’, most species carry ‘genetic blue prints’ which are ‘switched off’ but remain there as genetic storage. By the 8th week of gestation, the sixth to twelfth tail vertebrae have disappeared via cell death, and likewise, the associated tail tissues also undergo cell death and regress. 1 At between 4 and 5 weeks of age, the normal human embryo has 10–12 developing tail vertebrae. Human embryos normally have a prenatal tail that measures about one-sixth of the size of the embryo itself. The true atavistic tail of humans results from incomplete regression of the most distal end of the normal embryonic tail found in the developing human fetus. 8 Human tails may be associated with other congenital anomalies in 29% of cases, 9 commonest is spina bifida. In one case the tail has been inherited through three generations of females. ![]() True human tails are rarely inherited, though familial cases have been reported. 6 Donovan et al have reported child with a tail and intraspinal lipoma that were not contiguous with each other, and were separated by an intact layer of lumbosacral fascia, in our case also there were no subfascial extension of the tail structure. 5 Chunquan Cai et al have reported a case of human tail coexisting with type I split cord malformations. The dorsal cutaneous appendage, or so-called human tail, is considered to be a marker of underlying intraspinal pathology of occult spinal dysraphism. Rarely, voluntary contractions in response to emotional states have been documented. It is covered by normal skin, replete with hair follicles, sweat glands and sebaceous glands. The true human tail is characterised by a complex arrangement of adipose and connective tissue, central bundles of longitudinally arranged striated muscle in the core, blood vessels, nerve fibres, nerve ganglion cells and specialised pressure sensing nerve organs (Vater–Pacini corpuscles). Pseudo-tails are lesions of various types coincidentally found in the caudal region of newborns, often associated with the spinal column and coccygeal malformations. It may be a ‘true tail’ or a ‘pseudo-tail’. As a tertiary medical institution with a commitment to medical education and research, Neurosurgery, GPHC will be presenting this case to the global medical community for documentation and review.Human tail is a caudal, vestigial, midline protrusion with skin covering a combination of muscle and adipose tissue. While a human baby having a caudal appendage resembling a tail generates an unusual amount of interest, excitement, and anxiety – often, parents may be concerned about the social stigma, superstition or shame that may befall their young child when they are integrated into society.ĭue to its extremely rare presentation, the occurrence of the human tail is a phenomenon of great interest to both the lay and medical community. The 10-day-old baby was born with a tail which is basically a continuation of the spine/spinal nerve elements, this was surgically removed to allow the child an opportunity to develop normally. The infant has since been discharged from the hospital. Amarnauth Dukhi successfully performed a procedure to remove the tail and reconstruct the spinal canal of a 10-day-old infant boy – a sophisticated technique which also required the protection of the patient’s spinal nerves. On June 18, 2023, a medical team at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) led by Chief Neurosurgeon, Dr. The rare ‘Human Tail’ that was successfully removed from the 10-day-old infant at GPHC However, the etiological basis of the human tail is not clear yet. The reported presentations of spinal dysraphism includes spina bifida occulta, meningocele, and spinal lipoma or tethered spinal cord. The human tail is usually considered as a marker of underlying pathology of peculiar spinal dysraphism. A rare congenital anomaly which mostly presents immediately after birth or in early childhood, there are less than 60 cases documented in medical literature of caudal appendage or the human tail. The unique presentation of a pathology such as the “human tail” is not only rare in Guyana, but the world. See below for a statement from the Georgetown Public Hospital on the successful removal of a very rare medical phenomenon of Human Tail on a 10-day-old infant by Team Neurosurgery: ![]()
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