Posted on 05/30/2006 9:00:42 AM PDT by dead
SHANGHAI, China - Doctors in Shanghai on Tuesday were considering surgery options for a two-month old boy born with an unusually well-formed third arm.
Neither of the boy's two left arms is fully functional and tests have so far been unable to determine which was more developed, said Dr. Chen Bochang, head of the orthopedics department at Shanghai Children's Medical Center.
"His case is quite peculiar. We have no record of any child with such a complete third arm," Chen said in a telephone interview. "It's quite difficult to decide how to do the operation on him."
The boy, identified only as "Jie-jie," also was born with just one kidney and may have problems that could lead to curvature of the spine, according to local media reports.
Jie-jie cried when either of his left arms was touched, but smiled and responded normally to other stimuli, the reports said.
Chen said doctors hoped to work out a plan for surgery, but the boy's small size made it impossible to perform certain tests that would help them prepare.
"We are meeting with several experts now. We hope we could work the plan out soon," Chen said.
Media reports said other children have been reported born with additional arms and legs, but in all those cases it was clear what limb was more developed.
Chen's hospital is one of China's most experienced in dealing with unusual birth defects, including separating conjoined twins. Like Jie-jie, many of the children are sent to relatively wealthy Shanghai from the poor inland province of Anhui.
The Chinese have a history of disarming their citizens.
Awww. This story is so disarming.
(I'm sorry. I couldn't resist)
Maybe they're all links in a human evolutionary chain. (I'm series).
but on the other hand...
Our own little Motie.
If this kid had been born 100 years ago he would have made a fortune on the sideshow tours. I sure hope all goes well with any surgeries.
I only have two hands!
Think of the juggling he could do.
Painful? Or confused?
SouthpawS.
Luckily, they have an ID bracelet on his right wrist. With the incredible population explosion in China, it's probably pretty easy for some parents to get the wrong baby.
he'd make a great "undocumented worker" if he were from Mexico...
my ex girlfriend can tell you that i......you know what I'm not even going to finish that sentence :-)
Lookit that, the Niven/Pournelle "Griping Hand" comes to pass.
Could use him in the Twilight Zone episode where the guy at the diner lights a cigarette with his third arm. Remember that one?
I do, but it's probably been 25 years or so since I saw it.
Still lookin' for a sign reading Motie Auto Repair.
MY nephew had two left thumbs at birth. Doctors waited until he was a year old to remove the extra. By then it was very obvious which one was functional.
Bill Clinton says "Boy - think what I could have done with a third arm".
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