Monday, 16 June 2008

8 Limb Baby takes her first steps after life-saving surgery


A two-year-old girl worshipped as a goddess after being born with four arms and four legs is taking her first steps since having her extra limbs removed.

Little Lakshmi Tatma had a life-saving operation to remove her headless conjoined twin in November year.

Families in her remote village in India believed she was the reincarnation of the eight limbed Hindu goddess of wealth and fortune Lakshmi.

Her parents were reluctant to agree to the operation for fear it would bring bad luck until doctors told them she would struggle to survive into her teens without it.

Now the brave youngster is learning to walk for the first time eight months after the successful 27-hour procedure.

In an extremely rare case, Lakshmi was joined at the spine to what is medically known a 'parasitic twin'.

She could not use the twin's arms and legs, but the conjoined body fed on hers for oxygen and nutrition.

Each body had one kidney, with the twin's transplanted to Lakshmi during the operation.

Lakshmi, whose progress is being monitored by American television's National Geographic Channel and ABC, now attends a school for disabled children.

She will need more surgery on her spine and on her feet, which were turned inwards.

source & more photos.

No comments: