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Yang YangChinese baby with 15cm tail
Country:
 China |
Content:
- The Baby with a 15cm Tail: A Medical Marvel
- The Cause: Neural Tube Defect
- Meningocele: The Tail-Like Growth
- Initial Family Resistance
- Concerns and Surgery
- Successful Removal and Long-Term Consequences
- A Different Tail: Arshid Ali Khan
The Baby with a 15cm Tail: A Medical Marvel
In China, a 15-centimeter tail caused an 11-month-old baby to be dubbed "Little Monkey" by his family. Yang Yang, as he was known to the media, was born with an unusually long and fleshy tail.
The Cause: Neural Tube Defect
During the first month of pregnancy, an embryo develops a neural tube, which eventually forms the spinal cord and nervous system. In Yang Yang's case, a genetic predisposition disrupted this process, resulting in an improperly developed spinal cord.
Meningocele: The Tail-Like Growth
Holes in Yang Yang's vertebrae allowed the membranes protecting his spinal cord to protrude through one of the openings, creating what is known as a meningocele. This meningocele resembled a fleshy tail.
Initial Family Resistance
Despite his mother attending regular checkups during her pregnancy, doctors failed to detect Yang Yang's condition. The mother was shocked when she saw the tail after his birth via Caesarean section. Yang Yang's grandmother initially considered the tail a sign of good fortune, believing it would bring him wealth.
Concerns and Surgery
As Yang Yang grew older, his mother became increasingly concerned about his limited range of motion in his legs compared to his arms, head, and body. The family was advised to wait for the baby to grow before undergoing surgery to remove the tail.
Eventually, they brought Yang Yang to a hospital in Chongqing, where Dr. Lin Jiang Kai performed the operation. Lin Jiang Kai suspected that Yang Yang's tail was caused not only by genetics but also by his mother's insufficient intake of folic acid during pregnancy.
Successful Removal and Long-Term Consequences
The surgery was successful, and Yang Yang no longer has the tail. Dr. Lin Jiang Kai warned that if the family had delayed the operation or refused consent, Yang Yang could have experienced significant mobility issues in his lower limbs.
A Different Tail: Arshid Ali Khan
In Punjab, India, a 13-year-old boy named Arshid Ali Khan was once worshipped as a god due to his 18-centimeter tail. Local villagers believed him to be an incarnation of the Hindu monkey god Hanuman and referred to him as Balaji, a form of Vishnu.
Arshid Ali Khan's tail was also believed to be caused by a neural tube defect. He was unable to walk and relied on a wheelchair. In 2021, doctors successfully removed the growth, enabling Arshid Ali Khan to regain his mobility.
