Dicephalus dipus tribrachius: a case report of unusual conjoined twins

Abstract

A conjoined twin is a rarity. It occurs 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 2,00,000 fetuses. Forty percent of the conjoined twins are stillborn and an additional one-third die within 24 h of birth. They result from late twinning events about 14th day after fertilization. We report a case of stillborn conjoined twins sent for autopsy. The bodies of the fetuses were fused from the thorax to the pelvis. There were two heads, three upper limbs and two lower limbs, with fusion of the thoracic, abdominal and pelvic regions. On systemic examination, some organs were fused and some were separate. A multilocular cyst with milky fluid was seen in the pelvic region. This case is reported in view of its rarity.