40-Year old Baby Discovered Inside Woman’s Body – The Uncommon Lithopedion Case
An 82 year old Chile woman complained of severe abdominal pain. Physicians first suspected a gastrointestinal condition, but scans uncovered something remarkable a calcified fetus that had been residing within her body for more than 40 years.
This is known as Lithopedion, or “stone baby,” when a fetus that dies in an abdominal pregnancy grows too large to be absorbed by the body. The body eventually wards off the tissue by calcifying it effectively stonifying the fetus.
How rare is it?
Less than 300 cases have been reported globally throughout medical history.
It often passes unnoticed for decades, since the calcified fetus is not always symptomatic.
Clinical Significance:
Lithopedion is such a remarkable demonstration of how the human body compensates in extreme situations. Although shocking, the majority of patients remain carriers for years without even knowing it.
Should this type of case feature more prominently in medical textbooks to educate students about unusual pathologies?
MBH/AB