Doctors removed a life-threatening tumour from a baby’s brain that had started growing its own hair and teeth.
The boy’s Israeli parents had taken him in for a check up after discovering a lump on his head.
Doctors at Wilf Children’s Hospital in Jerusalem realised it was putting pressure on his brain and immediately operated on the child.
The tumour was removed after a few hours, and had hair and teeth attached to it.
Luckily, it turned out to be benign and is unlikely to grow back.
It was determined that the mass was a rare type of tumour called teratoma, which could can developed tissues such as hair, teeth, muscle and bones.
(Image: Shaare Zedek Medical Center/Newsflash)
Dr. Gustavo Rajz, director of Shaare Zedek’s Department of Paediatric Neurosurgery, said: “We responded very quickly because we saw the pressure on the brain stem and a build-up of fluids that could certainly have been life-threatening.”
After the successful operation, the child remained under the doctors’ observation for a few days before being released from hospital.
Last month, a brain tumour survivor who has “died twice” said he feels lucky to be alive – 35 years after being diagnosed.
Anthony Ainsworth, 38, was just three years old when doctors diagnosed him with a tumour on his optic nerve.
But it had already grown too far to remove by the time surgeons were set to operate, the Liverpool Echo reported.
It meant surgery was impossible.
When he was a toddler, medics told his mum to “enjoy Christmas with your son as it will sadly be his last.”
But he survived and needed his eye removed, meaning he now lives with a glass prosthetic.
Anthony, of Everton, Liverpool, wears glasses and his eyesight is showing signs of gradually deteriorating.
When he was aged 13, he was involved in a road accident which left him with severe head injuries and in intensive care for a week.
While in hospital, he “died” twice – but medics managed to bring him back on both occasions.
