For the first time in the world, a baby boy is reported to be born with the condition triphallia. This condition makes the baby have 3 phalluses or penises that are formed from the embryo.
The baby was born in Buhok, Iraq, recently and has had both extra penises removed. Reported in the International Journal of Surgery Case Reports, this baby is in good health a year after surgery.
Rare condition
Quoted from Livescience, being born with an extra or supernumerary penis is rare congenital conditionit is estimated that it occurs only in 1 in 5 million to 6 million live births.
In this case in Iraq, both extra penises have tissue for an erection called corpus cavernosum. When flowed with blood as a result of sexual stimulation, this tissue allows an erection.
The two extra penises also have the corpus spongiosum tissue that supports the urethra or urinary tract. However, these two extra penises do not have a urethra, which makes surgical removal a factor that makes it easier.
Genetic factors suspected
Although rare, the findings of a ‘supernumerary’ penis have been reported by John Martin, professor of anatomy at the St Louis University School of Medicine. One of the bodies for research that was donated by someone had a similar condition, to be precise had a double penis or diphallia.
Prof. John said, the body died at the age of 84 years. Through genetic testing, he tries to uncover the cause of this rare condition. The result, found a number of mutations in genes associated with genital development or genitals.
One of the mutations is related to the formation of hair-like structures or cilia in embryonic cells. Abnormalities in these cillia cells are also associated with several congenital abnormalities, including site inversus or an organ that grows out of the normal position.
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