Woman's brain tumour turns out to be embryonic twin
Postmedia Network
First posted: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 10:32 AM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 10:44 AM EDT
An Indiana woman underwent surgery to remove what she thought was a tumour but turned out to be her embryonic twin — in her brain.
Yamini Karanam, 26, was having trouble comprehending the things she read or what people around her were saying, but doctors couldn't agree on what was wrong with her, NBC Los Angeles reports.
The PhD student found a specialist at L.A.'s Skullbase Institute whose minimally invasive method of performing brain surgery uses a small incision to get inside the delicate organ and remove cancerous tissue.
When Dr. Hrayr Shahinian went in, he found the tumour was actually a "teratoma" -- a relatively rare case of an embryonic twin, complete with bone, hair and teeth, according to the report.
When Karanam awoke and heard the news, she joked the tumour was her "evil twin sister" who'd been "torturing" her for the past 26 years, she told NBC.
Teratomas are usually benign -- as it turns out Karanam's was. She expected to make a full recovery.
Woman's brain tumour turns out to be embryonic twin | Weird | News | Toronto Sun
Postmedia Network
First posted: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 10:32 AM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 10:44 AM EDT
An Indiana woman underwent surgery to remove what she thought was a tumour but turned out to be her embryonic twin — in her brain.
Yamini Karanam, 26, was having trouble comprehending the things she read or what people around her were saying, but doctors couldn't agree on what was wrong with her, NBC Los Angeles reports.
The PhD student found a specialist at L.A.'s Skullbase Institute whose minimally invasive method of performing brain surgery uses a small incision to get inside the delicate organ and remove cancerous tissue.
When Dr. Hrayr Shahinian went in, he found the tumour was actually a "teratoma" -- a relatively rare case of an embryonic twin, complete with bone, hair and teeth, according to the report.
When Karanam awoke and heard the news, she joked the tumour was her "evil twin sister" who'd been "torturing" her for the past 26 years, she told NBC.
Teratomas are usually benign -- as it turns out Karanam's was. She expected to make a full recovery.
Woman's brain tumour turns out to be embryonic twin | Weird | News | Toronto Sun
