A baby boy was born with a 12cm-long ‘true human tail,’ doctors in Brazil have revealed.
Surgeons managed to remove the tail, which was only discovered after the child was born at 35 weeks, the Daily Mail reported.
While all babies develop an embryonic tail in the womb from 4 to 8 weeks after gestation, this is reabsorbed into the body. But in very rare cases, it does not occur and the tail can grow continuously.
When the baby boy was born, his tail had already grown to 12cm and it had also developed a large ball on the end.
Medics examined the tail and noted that it had no parts made of bone and cartilage. This means that it was a rare example of a ‘true human tail.’
According to reports, there are only 40 documented cases of babies being born with true tails. In some cultures, tails in humans are considered holy.
The baby was born at 35 weeks without any complications, but an initial assessment showed the tail and 4cm diameter mass growth on the end.
After a scan showed no concerns relating to the tail, surgeons at Albert Sabin Children’s Hospital removed the appendage.
The procedure, which was detailed in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery Case Reports, had no complications but there were no details of the baby’s recovery.
A post-surgery analysis of the tail showed that it was comprised of boneless tissue with the mass on the end being made of embryonic connective tissue and fat.
In contrast, a pseudo-tail is a protrusion from the spinal cord. It is characterized by being made out of cartilage, elements of bone, and fat.
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