Woman finds twin growing in her brain
Yamini Karanam got quite a surprise when doctors revealed the results of her brain tumour.
In fact, it wasn't a tumour at all. It was her embryonic twin.
The 26-year-old found herself struggling with reading and speaking and was diagnosed with a brain tumour that was feared to be cancerous.
"Problems with reading comprehension, listening comprehension. If a couple people were talking in a room, I wouldn't understand what was happening," Karanam said.
After many discussions with confused medical staff, Karanam underwent keyhole surgery.
Doctors made a half-inch incision into Karanam's brain that enabled an endoscope to reach and carefully chisel away at the 'tumour'.
Her surgeon, Dr. Hrayr Shahinian, explained to Karanam when she woke that the 'tumour' was a teratoma which was her embryonic twin complete with bone, hair and teeth.
She joked about how the 'tumour' was actually her ‘evil twin sister who's been torturing me for the past 26 years’.
Dr Shahinian said this is the second time he has found a teratoma in his work, having performed over 7000 of these procedures.
Morning news break – April 23
