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. 1974 Jul;180(1):80–84. doi: 10.1097/00000658-197407000-00011

Fetus-in-Fetu: An Unusual Cause for Abdominal Mass in Infancy

Jay L Grosfeld, Donald S Stepita, Walter E Nance, Catherine G Palmer
PMCID: PMC1343611  PMID: 4471720

Abstract

Fetus-in-fetu is an unusual cause of retroperitoneal abdominal mass in infants, which most likely arises from inclusion of a monozygotic, diamniotic twin. This entity is distinguished from teratoma by its embryological origin, its unusual location in the retroperitoneal space, its invariable benignity, and by the presence of vertebral organization with limb buds and well-developed organ systems. Diagnosis is made radiographically by the finding of a diminutive vertebral column on a plain abdominal film. The treatment of choice is total excision with special attention being given to the fetus' blood supply which may be directly from the host's superior mesenteric vessels. A well-documented example of this unusual entity that occurred in a six-week old infant male is presented.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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