When a baby’s head was growing far too fast for his age, surgeons discovered a very rare medical problem: a brain tumor made up of perfectly formed teeth.
US surgeons reported performing an MRI of the brain of a four-month-old baby in 2014, in the New England Journal of Medicine. Through imaging, doctors found the presence of a tumor the size of a small walnut. Quickly, the infant is operated on to have this tumor removed.
A rare form of brain tumor
It was actually a craniopharyngioma, a rare form of brain tumor. The latter usually develops in young children, but it is also possible that it develops in adults. The craniopharyngioma is found near the pituitary gland, a hormone-regulating gland located at the bottom of the brain. Craniopharyngiomas are benign tumors, that is, they are not cancerous and do not spread. On the other hand, they can cause hormonal problems.
“Never seen”
This is not the only “rarity” of this case. Indeed, during their surgery, the doctors discover that the tumor is encrusted with “several fully formed teeth”. Tumors with teeth are usually called teratomas and can contain different types of tissue, such as hair, muscle, or bone. However, doctors cannot explain why teeth ended up in the craniopharyngioma. “Unheard of,” according to Dr. Narlin Beaty, neurosurgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center, who performed the famous operation.
The child is recovered, but problems remain
Doctors manage to effectively remove the tumor. In the months following the operation, the child was able to recover properly. However, he continued to suffer from hormonal problems, related to the craniopharyngioma. He therefore received hormone replacement therapy, particularly of the thyroid. “He is progressing well in his development and as part of his follow-up, he is currently undergoing routine examinations,” the doctors conclude.
The teeth found in the tumor were sent to a specialist for further investigation. Tissue samples were also kept for study.
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