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A case of cephalomelia discovered in a baby born in Niger

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Abstract

Introduction

Subcutaneous tumors with extra limbs are very rare, and they are considered either as fetus in fetu or fetiform teratoma.

Case report

We report here the case of a 6-day-old presenting a mass extending at the level of the occipital bone. This mass is developed in the extracranial region and contains two forelimbs including hands with digits. CT shows that the squamous part of the occipital bone is involved with several defects through which a part of the cerebellum herniates. The boy was operated on and the tumor was removed. The herniated region of the cerebellum has also been removed. After surgery, the boy develops normally.

Conclusion

This type of tumor is extremely rare and is only the second case that has been reported at this exact location. This could be the so-called céphalomélie described by Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in a duck in his famous Treatise of Teratology (1836). The cause of this malformation is still a matter for debate.

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Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest in relation to this publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital National de Niamey, Niamey, Niger

    A. Bariath Kelani, A. M. Hima, A. Guemou, A. W. Issa, A. Ibrahim, M. A. Sanda & S. Sanoussi

  2. Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Service de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital National de Niamey (HNN), Université Abdou Moumouni (UAM), BP 12932, Niamey, Niger

    A. Bariath Kelani, H. Moumouni, H. Younsa, L. James Didier, R. Sani & S. Sanoussi

  3. Département d’Histologie et Embryologie, UAM, Niamey, Niger

    H. Moumouni

  4. Service de Chirurgie Générale, Hôpital National de Niamey, Niamey, Niger

    H. Younsa, L. James Didier & R. Sani

  5. Sorbonne Université, UPMC Université Paris 06, UMR7622, F-75005, Paris, France

    M. Catala

  6. Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS) - Developmental Biology Laboratory, UMR7622, CNRS, F-75005, Paris, France

    M. Catala

  7. INSERM, ERL1156, F-75005, Paris, France

    M. Catala

  8. Fédération de Neurologie, Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière-APHP, F-75013, Paris, France

    M. Catala

Authors
  1. A. Bariath Kelani
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  2. H. Moumouni
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  3. H. Younsa
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  4. L. James Didier
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  5. A. M. Hima
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  6. A. Guemou
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  7. A. W. Issa
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  8. A. Ibrahim
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  9. M. A. Sanda
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  10. R. Sani
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  11. S. Sanoussi
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  12. M. Catala
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Bariath Kelani.

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Kelani, A.B., Moumouni, H., Younsa, H. et al. A case of cephalomelia discovered in a baby born in Niger. Childs Nerv Syst 32, 205–208 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2831-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2831-2

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