Baby born with anal swelling

By Moses Nampala
A woman in Tororo district has given birth to a baby with a strange abnormality. The girl was born with a huge tumour around her anal area. Rose Amoit delivered the baby through a caeasarian operation at Tororo Hospital last week.

When Vision Group visited the hospital, the baby was suckling. Health personnel say apart from the abnormality, the baby is in good health.

Tororo hospital superintendent Dr. Andrew Opete, who carried out the caesarean operation, says the abnormality medically referred to as Sacroccoygeal Teratoma, is a rare genetical abnormality.

“It is a swollen bag constituting fluid and solid flesh and may carry with it part of the digestive system, anus, intestines and bladder,” explains Opete. The abnormality can be traced from the time the foetus cells are formed.

Opete observes that the tumour has the potential of becoming cancerous. “Treatment requires a surgical operation by an oncologist (cancer specialist),” he adds.

Amoit’s belly was unusually distended. Over 10 litres of fluid was collected from Amoit’s belly. Amoit says during the third trimester, the foetus was too heavy to carry.

In addition, Amoit had breathing difficulty. Getrude Onyapid, Amoit’s motherin- law and caretaker, says prior to the delivery, given the size of the stomach, everyone presumed Amoit would give birth to twins.

What is Sacroccoygeal Teratoma?
Opete, defines the abnormality as a fluid filled, solid mass, or lump that sticks out at the top of the buttock (tail bone) of an infant. It results from a dysfunction during foetus cell formation.

The disorder, which may occur ordinarily or genetically, happens in one out of every 35,000 live birth. According to Opete, the only option in managing the abnormality is by subjecting the infant to surgery after thorough scrutiny because it may carry away with it, part of the digestive system, anus, intestines and bladder.

“Surgery would separate the crucial parts from the lump and reconstruct the affected organs,” Opete says.
Prevention calls for routine ultra sound scan right from the earliest stage of pregnancy.