Embryonic Twin Discovered In Indiana Woman’s Brain
An Indiana woman recently underwent brain surgery in Los Angeles for what was believed to be a tumor, but doctors discovered something else entirely.
Yamini Karanam started having difficulty last September with listening comprehension and felt something wasn’t right. A neurologist and neurosurgeon in Indianapolis argued over what the problem was and possible solutions. So she began to research options on her own.
Kranam sought the advice of Dr. Hrayr Shahinian of the Skullbase Institute in Los Angeles. He had developed a technique that uses a smaller opening in the skull and fiberoptic technology for less invasive brain surgery.
Dr. Shahinian very delicately used an endoscope to reach into Karanam’s brain, only to find something even he has only seen twice in his lifetime.
What was believed to be a tumor was actually a teratoma, or embryonic twin that never developed. The embryo, complete with bones, hair and teeth, ended up lodged in Karanam’s brain when her body absorbed it in utero.
Kranam remains lighthearted about the situation, calling the abnormality her “evil” twin and laughing that it has been “torturing her for the past 26 years.”
Luckily it was not a tumor after all, and not cancerous. Karanam is expected to make a full recovery in the coming weeks.
