Health

Parasitic Twin Separated in Chinese Newborn: A Medical Miracle

Doctors in China Successfully Separate Rare "Parasitic Twin"

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22 February 2024

In a recent surgery, doctors successfully separated a rare "parasitic twin" in a newborn boy in Luoyang, China. The "parasitic twin," measuring approximately 6 centimeters in diameter, was located in the right side of the infant's chest cavity, compressing the organs and affecting lung development, causing breathing difficulties after birth, which necessitated the emergency surgery to separate the twin.

Following a surgery lasting over an hour, the boy's chest cavity-dwelling "parasitic twin" was successfully separated. According to introduction, the health condition of the boy after the operation is good, and he can grow up as normally as other children.

A "parasitic twin" is a rare occurrence, with about 100 reported cases in public records. The causes for the condition may be related to several factors, including exposure to toxic substances during pregnancy, which can lead to fetal developmental abnormalities and the formation of a "parasitic twin." Other potential causes include close family relationships, as recessive genes carried by both partners can increase the risk of the fetus developing the condition.

Weibo users expressed their amazement at the medical advancement and the skilled doctors involved in the surgery, including:

"I've never seen a 'parasitic twin' before, was it not detected during the check-up? It's really lucky to have such a good doctor. I'm giving the doctor a thumbs up, and wish for the health of all pregnant women and babies!"

"Medicine is becoming more and more advanced, I hope everyone can receive good treatment!"

"The causes of 'parasitic twin' may be related to the following factors: 1. Contact with toxic substances: exposure to toxic substances during early pregnancy can cause fetal developmental abnormalities, leading to the formation of a 'parasitic twin.' 2. Consanguineous marriage: if both partners carry the same recessive genes, the risk of the fetus having a hidden genetic disease or developmental abnormalities increases, which can also lead to the formation of a 'parasitic twin.' 3. Intercourse during menstruation."

Weibo users also expressed their relief that the condition was discovered early enough, and their hope for the infant's survival rate, such as:

"Thank goodness the condition was discovered in time, I'm really amazed, I don't know what the survival rate is, but I hope the baby is healthy."

In addition to the heartwarming story of the successful surgery, another medical professional, Dr. Zhang Jie, saved a senior citizen's life in JiNan, China. While taking an elevator, Dr. Zhang noticed an elderly man pushing a cart who had fallen twice. Dr. Zhang observed the situation for a while and intervened to successfully resuscitate the old man who had suffered a cardiac arrest.

Dr. Zhang, a true hero, has no regrets, saying, "It feels great to have saved someone's life."

Pregnancy is a delicate period for women, and their health directly influences the development of the fetus. Adequate nutrition is crucial during this period to ensure the healthy growth of the baby. A deficiency in DHA, a crucial nutrient for the development of the baby's brain and nervous system, can lead to lifelong developmental consequences for both the baby and the mother.

In China, pregnant women's intake of DHA is far below the recommended levels, leading to developmental issues for the baby and postpartum depression for the mother. It's crucial to increase awareness of the importance of DHA during pregnancy to improve the well-being of both mother and child.

Regarding the care of pregnant women, the Chinese government has taken steps to improve their health care, including releasing a guide for pregnant women on how to maintain a healthy pregnancy.

All provinces in China perform prenatal check-ups to ensure a healthy pregnancy. However, despite these measures, some Weibo users wonder if medical care for pregnant women is better in Henan, which is a populous province in China.

In other news, the United Kingdom's High Court has concluded its hearing of Julian Assange's extradition appeal case. Lawyers for Assange have requested a review of the decision made by the previous high court judge in 2021, arguing that the US seeks to punish Assange for exposing American government wrongdoing and that he could face an unfair trial if extradited to the US. On the other hand, lawyers representing the US government argued that the materials released by Assange endangered American security and intelligence agencies. The court has not yet announced its decision.

In business news, Nvidia's fourth-quarter revenue reached a record $2.21 billion, up 265% year-over-year, while its full-year revenue hit a historic high of $6.09 billion, up 126%. The company's earnings per share for the quarter were $0.51, up 486%. Furthermore, Nvidia expects revenue to increase further in the coming quarter to $2.4 billion.

In the world of technology, Chinese telecom giant China Telecom plans to build the country's first large-scale computing cluster that can support the training of a machine learning model with trillion parameters. This includes the construction of a 10,000-GPU machine, making it the first large-scale machine learning cluster in the country to support a single pool of 10,000 GPUs for liquid cooling.

In financial news, China's banking industry witnessed a decline in net interest margin in 2023, with the net interest margin declining from 1.74% in the first quarter to 1.69% in the fourth quarter. This marks the first time that the net interest margin of domestic commercial banks in China has fallen below 1.7%.

And finally, in the world of entertainment, Tencent's mobile game "Honor of Kings" generated over 2.33 billion yuan ($337 million) in global revenue in January, regaining its top spot on the global mobile game charts. The game saw a surge in revenue on January 5th, thanks to new skins, seasonal events, and limited-edition skins returning to the game.

As the world continues to advance technologically, medicine and science are at the forefront of discovery and innovation. From separating rare twins to saving lives in elevators, doctors and medical professionals continue to be heroes every day. Let us celebrate their achievements and hope for a healthier future for all.