- Eight-month-old Karam from Iraq developed four extra limbs after a few weeks of his birth that protruded out of his stomach.
- In India, he was admitted to Jaypee Hospital, Noida for his treatment.
- At the hospital, he was diagnosed with polymelia, a rare disorder.
- His condition was extremely critical when he was brought to the hospital, said Dr. Rajesh Sharma, Director of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at Jaypee Hospital.
- Out of the four extra limbs, one of his legs were short whereas as the other one branched out in a way that it looked like two seperate limbs.
- Two other limbs (a leg and a hand) protruded out of his stomach. Even the normal leg of the baby was crooked.
- He was also born with a single kidney.
- The team of doctors who treated Karam included doctors from Pediatric Cardiology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics and Aesthetics and Reconstruction departments.
- The surgical procedure to remove the extra limbs consisted of three stages:
- Karam's crooked feet was treated and the two extra limbs extending from his stomach was removed in the first two stages.
- In the third stage the other two limbs were removed and a pelvic osteotomy was performed to treat his deformed back.
- Each stage of the surgery took 7-8 hours to complete.
- Karam is now recovering steadily.
Source: Jaypee Hospital, Media Update