Despite the fact that we quite literally embody our own bodies, they can still be a source of horror in the right (or wrong) circumstances. It’s one of the reasons roughly 4% of US medical students drop out, not due to poor grades but the realization that this maybe isn’t for them.
We’ve gathered some unsettling, creepy but perhaps still interesting pictures about the unusual things that can go on in and outside of the human body. Be warned, some of these images can be unpleasant. Otherwise, settle in as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments down below.
#2 Doctors Successfully 3D Printed This Cancer Patient A New Nose, Planted It On His Forearm To Then Re-Implant It Where It Belongs
You often hear that they’re doing wonderful things with science these days, and when you hear that someone who lost their nose to cancer had one printed and re-grown for them, you have to admit that it’s true.
The new nose was grown by creating a 3D-printed mold that was then transferred under the skin of her forearm.
There, it grew blood vessels and was eventually able to be transplanted onto her face where it belongs.
The patient had been receiving cancer treatment for squamous cell carcinoma present in her nasal cavity.
The patient, undergoing radiation and chemotherapy in 2013 for nasal cancer, lost a large portion of her nose. After several failed nasal reconstructions, the use of bespoke biomaterials was proposed.
They recreated her actual nose by 3D printing one made from biomaterial, in collaboration with a manufacturer of bone device.
They overcame the lack of blood vessels by attaching it to her arm first, then once they were established and properly revascularized via the arm’s skin vessels after approximately 2 months, it was ready to be transplanted to the nasal region by micro-surgery.
Team effort of Claudius Regaud Institute and CHU university hospital of Toulouse, France.
The new nose was grown by creating a 3D-printed mold that was then transferred under the skin of her forearm.
There, it grew blood vessels and was eventually able to be transplanted onto her face where it belongs.
The patient had been receiving cancer treatment for squamous cell carcinoma present in her nasal cavity.
The patient, undergoing radiation and chemotherapy in 2013 for nasal cancer, lost a large portion of her nose. After several failed nasal reconstructions, the use of bespoke biomaterials was proposed.
They recreated her actual nose by 3D printing one made from biomaterial, in collaboration with a manufacturer of bone device.
They overcame the lack of blood vessels by attaching it to her arm first, then once they were established and properly revascularized via the arm’s skin vessels after approximately 2 months, it was ready to be transplanted to the nasal region by micro-surgery.
Team effort of Claudius Regaud Institute and CHU university hospital of Toulouse, France.
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39points
The human body exists as a walking contradiction, a masterpiece of biological engineering that simultaneously serves as a source of profound existential dread. This dualistic relationship stems from a deeply rooted psychological phenomenon known as the uncanny valley, where something that is almost, but not quite, human triggers a sense of unease or even revulsion. When we look at a medical cross-section or a high-definition image of a cellular structure, we are forced to confront the mechanical reality of our existence.
We like to think of ourselves as coherent personalities with dreams and memories, but medical imagery reminds us that we are also a complex assembly of pulsing valves, electrical signals, and strange, wet textures. This confrontation with our own biological materiality is where the horror begins, yet it is exactly this complexity that keeps us clicking through gallery after gallery of anatomical wonders.
#4 An En-Caul Birth On The Road!! Here’s An Incredible Birth Story Of A Baby Born Still Enclosed Within The Amniotic Sac
“The human body is truly an amazing thing. 8.5.2017 at about 10am I started having contractions. I was only 29 weeks and 4 days so I just figured they were Braxton hicks and decided to wait it out. After about 45 minutes of consistent contractions that were increasing in intensity I decided I should probably go in. I there in some clothes. Grabbed my daughter some clothes, her my fiance And I left for the hospital. I dropped my daughter to her God mommy Nicole And headed to the hospital. Well the contractions continued to get closer together and more intense and before I knew it I knew it was time to push. I called 911 because I was so scared. They couldn’t understand me between the screams with contractions. So I handed the phone to my fiance.
I pulled my pants off and reached down, sure enough his head was right there. I pushed one time and my miracle baby was here. When I looked down I realized he was still completely wrapped in the amniotic sac. The dispatcher told us to pull over. But I knew we would make it to the hospital before they would make it to us. So I told Ean to keep driving. I was so scared. My Fiance was so calm driving and on the phone with 911. At first the baby was still and all I could do was pray he would be okay. And then I rubbed his face with my thumb and he pulled his little hands and feet up to his face as if he understood my prayers and wanted to reassure us he was okay. About 7 minutes passed that I held this miracle baby in my hands until we made it to the hospital. A familiar face came running out and grabbed my baby. He was born an caul. This happens 1 in every 80,000 births. Usually during c-section. He was 3lb 1oz. He doing wonderful all things considered all He went through I know he’s going to be an awesome little man! ❤ he is truly a miracle baby. We are so blessed to be his parents.”
I pulled my pants off and reached down, sure enough his head was right there. I pushed one time and my miracle baby was here. When I looked down I realized he was still completely wrapped in the amniotic sac. The dispatcher told us to pull over. But I knew we would make it to the hospital before they would make it to us. So I told Ean to keep driving. I was so scared. My Fiance was so calm driving and on the phone with 911. At first the baby was still and all I could do was pray he would be okay. And then I rubbed his face with my thumb and he pulled his little hands and feet up to his face as if he understood my prayers and wanted to reassure us he was okay. About 7 minutes passed that I held this miracle baby in my hands until we made it to the hospital. A familiar face came running out and grabbed my baby. He was born an caul. This happens 1 in every 80,000 births. Usually during c-section. He was 3lb 1oz. He doing wonderful all things considered all He went through I know he’s going to be an awesome little man! ❤ he is truly a miracle baby. We are so blessed to be his parents.”
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29points
#5 Transforming Curves: From Struggle To Strength - Witness The Journey Of Scoliosis
Scoliosis is characterized by a lateral deviation and rotational deformity of the spine, resulting in an abnormal sideways curvature. It can manifest in different regions of the vertebral column and exhibit varying degrees of severity.
This 13-year-old’s scoliosis was progressing so rapidly that major spinal surgery was her only treatment option. In just over six months, her curve progressed from what was initially 49-degree to a 99-degree curve. The girl now has a combination of titanium rods and screws around her spine. Luckily she fully recovered and got back to her normal activities.
While scoliosis can be caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause of most scoliosis is unknown. About 3% of adolescents have scoliosis.
Treatment depends on the degree of curve, location, and cause. Minor curves may simply be watched periodically. Management options may involve close observation, utilization of orthotic devices (e.g., braces) for stabilization, or, in severe cases, surgical intervention aimed at rectifying the curvature and achieving spinal stability. The brace must be fitted to the person and used daily until growing stops.
Surgery is usually recommended by orthopedists for curves with a high likelihood of progression (i.e., greater than 45 to 50° of magnitude), curves that would be cosmetically unacceptable as an adult, curves in people with spina bifida and cerebral palsy that interfere with sitting and care, and curves that affect physiological functions such as breathing. To completely straighten a scoliotic spine is usually impossible, but for the most part, significant corrections are achieved.
Credit: Isabel Dayman, Mobile.abc.net.au
This 13-year-old’s scoliosis was progressing so rapidly that major spinal surgery was her only treatment option. In just over six months, her curve progressed from what was initially 49-degree to a 99-degree curve. The girl now has a combination of titanium rods and screws around her spine. Luckily she fully recovered and got back to her normal activities.
While scoliosis can be caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause of most scoliosis is unknown. About 3% of adolescents have scoliosis.
Treatment depends on the degree of curve, location, and cause. Minor curves may simply be watched periodically. Management options may involve close observation, utilization of orthotic devices (e.g., braces) for stabilization, or, in severe cases, surgical intervention aimed at rectifying the curvature and achieving spinal stability. The brace must be fitted to the person and used daily until growing stops.
Surgery is usually recommended by orthopedists for curves with a high likelihood of progression (i.e., greater than 45 to 50° of magnitude), curves that would be cosmetically unacceptable as an adult, curves in people with spina bifida and cerebral palsy that interfere with sitting and care, and curves that affect physiological functions such as breathing. To completely straighten a scoliotic spine is usually impossible, but for the most part, significant corrections are achieved.
Credit: Isabel Dayman, Mobile.abc.net.au
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24points
#6 Genuine MRI Scans Of Human Babies In The Womb
Possessing menacing eyes and devilish grins, you would be forgiven for assuming these were just aliens from a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster.
These images were circulating on social media apps and while some suggest they have been traumatised by viewing such discomforting images, others seem to find them comical.
Some users even believed the fetus was an extra-terrestrial being.
Yet, believe it or not, they are not fake.
Instead, they are genuine MRI scans of human babies in the womb.
MRI scans are different to ultrasounds. Parents are not regularly offered MRI throughout their pregnancy and will typically only have the scan if there is a concern for the child's growth and development.
For example, they can help define and detect neck, thoracic, abdominal and spinal malformations in fetuses.
When used during pregnancy, however, MRIs can produce a very life-like image of their baby.
The detailed black and white images burst the bubble of many parents who blindly believe their tiny tot is going to be adorable through and through.
One user said MRIs are discouraged during pregnancy because 'people would realise they're incubating nightmare demons and would be rightfully terrified'.
We can confirm these images are authentic and real.
MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of the body.
The eyes and brain have high levels of 'signal' — a radio wave — which causes them to appear brighter and stand out on the scan.
Other parts of the body give off lower levels, and therefore appear darker.
These images were circulating on social media apps and while some suggest they have been traumatised by viewing such discomforting images, others seem to find them comical.
Some users even believed the fetus was an extra-terrestrial being.
Yet, believe it or not, they are not fake.
Instead, they are genuine MRI scans of human babies in the womb.
MRI scans are different to ultrasounds. Parents are not regularly offered MRI throughout their pregnancy and will typically only have the scan if there is a concern for the child's growth and development.
For example, they can help define and detect neck, thoracic, abdominal and spinal malformations in fetuses.
When used during pregnancy, however, MRIs can produce a very life-like image of their baby.
The detailed black and white images burst the bubble of many parents who blindly believe their tiny tot is going to be adorable through and through.
One user said MRIs are discouraged during pregnancy because 'people would realise they're incubating nightmare demons and would be rightfully terrified'.
We can confirm these images are authentic and real.
MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of the body.
The eyes and brain have high levels of 'signal' — a radio wave — which causes them to appear brighter and stand out on the scan.
Other parts of the body give off lower levels, and therefore appear darker.
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23points
Our fascination is partly fueled by the negativity bias, a survival mechanism that compels us to pay more attention to things that could potentially harm us than things that are pleasant. From an evolutionary perspective, being repulsed by signs of disease or physical trauma was a way to keep our ancestors safe from infection.
#7 Surgeon Finds 27 Contact Lenses Lost In Woman’s Eye
A 67-year-old woman scheduled for routine cataract surgery thought it was just dry eye and old age causing her discomfort, she told her surgeons.
But what doctors found to be the real cause of her discomfort was much more concerning: 27 disposable contact lenses, stuck in the woman's right upper eyelid.
An anesthetist at the hospital was beginning to numb her eye for surgery when he found the first cluster of contacts.
He put a speculum into the eye to hold the eye open as he put the anesthetic in, when he noticed a blue foreign body emerging from the top eyelid.
That mass was a clump of 17 lenses (bottom picture).
On closer inspection, 10 more lenses were discovered floating around loose.
The lenses were clumped together in a “blueish mass” and were bound together by mucus.
The woman had been wearing monthly disposable contact lenses for 35 years, but it's unclear how long they had been gathering in her eye. Sometimes, she told the surgeons, when she would try to remove a contact from that eye, she couldn't find it.
The patient had just figured she'd dropped it somewhere, but it was actually getting stuck in her eye with the others.
Two weeks after removing the lenses her eyes felt a lot more comfortable.
Source - the British Medical Journal.
But what doctors found to be the real cause of her discomfort was much more concerning: 27 disposable contact lenses, stuck in the woman's right upper eyelid.
An anesthetist at the hospital was beginning to numb her eye for surgery when he found the first cluster of contacts.
He put a speculum into the eye to hold the eye open as he put the anesthetic in, when he noticed a blue foreign body emerging from the top eyelid.
That mass was a clump of 17 lenses (bottom picture).
On closer inspection, 10 more lenses were discovered floating around loose.
The lenses were clumped together in a “blueish mass” and were bound together by mucus.
The woman had been wearing monthly disposable contact lenses for 35 years, but it's unclear how long they had been gathering in her eye. Sometimes, she told the surgeons, when she would try to remove a contact from that eye, she couldn't find it.
The patient had just figured she'd dropped it somewhere, but it was actually getting stuck in her eye with the others.
Two weeks after removing the lenses her eyes felt a lot more comfortable.
Source - the British Medical Journal.
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23points
#8 Nope, That’s Not A Funny Looking Prosthetic On Her Left Leg... That’s A Gangrenous Foot With A Leg Down To The Bone
This 23 year old female developed gangrene to her left foot secondary to peripheral artery disease (PAD), which is most commonly caused by diabetes and poor diet!
At the initial visit, she refused treatment as she wanted a more holistic, rather than western, medical approach. She went to a spiritual treatment church for 4 months and came back to the clinic with the above leg. The infection continued to grow, and the bacteria ended up eating the tissue just below the knee. I hate to break it to you people, but holistic treatments do not work for acute issues.
Do we think there is a place for alternative medicine, of course we do! However, this is not a treatment for an acute cause. The herbal treatments would not do a thing for a bacterial infection, such as a cellulitis. You can criticize that belief, but are many people come in saying “I treated my UTI with an holistic medicine”, but they have not gotten better. This is because they are treating symptoms rather than attacking the infection at the source, the bacteria. Unfortunately, the alternative method cannot match against an antibiotic when attempting to rid an infection. All in all, we do believe that there are significant uses for holistic approaches to medical treatments. However, you cannot believe that holistic methods should be used as alternatives to the Western medical treatments that have scientific merit when treating specific diseases.
At the initial visit, she refused treatment as she wanted a more holistic, rather than western, medical approach. She went to a spiritual treatment church for 4 months and came back to the clinic with the above leg. The infection continued to grow, and the bacteria ended up eating the tissue just below the knee. I hate to break it to you people, but holistic treatments do not work for acute issues.
Do we think there is a place for alternative medicine, of course we do! However, this is not a treatment for an acute cause. The herbal treatments would not do a thing for a bacterial infection, such as a cellulitis. You can criticize that belief, but are many people come in saying “I treated my UTI with an holistic medicine”, but they have not gotten better. This is because they are treating symptoms rather than attacking the infection at the source, the bacteria. Unfortunately, the alternative method cannot match against an antibiotic when attempting to rid an infection. All in all, we do believe that there are significant uses for holistic approaches to medical treatments. However, you cannot believe that holistic methods should be used as alternatives to the Western medical treatments that have scientific merit when treating specific diseases.
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23points
#9 A Blood Clot Coughed Up By A Patient, That Perfectly Shaped The Lung’s Cavity It Filled
This huge blood clot took the shape of the bronchial tree. This photo shows the most visually arresting medical anomalies. The image is of a mysterious, branchlike structure that, posted elsewhere, would probably pass for a cherry-red chunk of some underground root system or a piece of bright reef coral. But this is no creature of the deep. It’s a completely intact, six-inch-wide clot of human blood in the exact shape of the right bronchial tree, one of the two key tubular networks that ferry air to and from the lungs. And it was coughed up in one piece. This cast was produced by a 36-year-old man who was admitted to the intensive care unit with an acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure. His medical history included heart failure with an ejection fraction of 20%, bioprosthetic aortic-valve replacement for bicuspid aortic stenosis, endovascular stenting of an aortic aneurysm, and placement of a permanent pacemaker for complete heart block. An Impella ventricular assist device was placed for management of acute heart failure, and a continuous heparin infusion was initiated for systemic anticoagulation. During the next week, the patient had episodes of small-volume hemoptysis and increasing respiratory distress. During an extreme bout of coughing, the patient spontaneously expectorated an intact cast of the right bronchial tree. Terrifying as it is, it's a fascinating illustration of the anatomy of the right bronchial tree, which consists of three segmental branches in the upper lobe (blue arrows), two segmental branches in the middle lobe (white arrows), and five segmental branches in the lower lobe (black arrows).
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22points
When we see a medical photo of a rare pathology or a distorted bone structure, our brains are essentially running a diagnostic scan, assessing the threat and learning what to avoid. However, because we are viewing these images from the safety of a screen, that primal fear transforms into a form of morbid curiosity.
#10 Guy Comes In With Amputation Of The Distal Half Of The Hand Resulting In Complete Separation Of Four Fingers At The Level Of Metacarpals
What do you think caused this injury?
Let your mind go wild on this one.
A. Machete attack
B. Chainsaw
C. Motorcycle crash
D. Manual meat slicer
E. Bear attack
F. Hydraulic press cutting machine
Edit: Answer - B!
Patient presented with traumatic amputation of the distal half of the hand following a work-related chainsaw accident. Full detachment of all four fingers at the metacarpal level.
Obviously, urgent medical evaluation and surgical intervention is needed, but first, let's just do an x-ray to see if it's broken, just to make sure.
Let your mind go wild on this one.
A. Machete attack
B. Chainsaw
C. Motorcycle crash
D. Manual meat slicer
E. Bear attack
F. Hydraulic press cutting machine
Edit: Answer - B!
Patient presented with traumatic amputation of the distal half of the hand following a work-related chainsaw accident. Full detachment of all four fingers at the metacarpal level.
Obviously, urgent medical evaluation and surgical intervention is needed, but first, let's just do an x-ray to see if it's broken, just to make sure.
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20points
#11 This Will Hurt In The Morning. Penetrating Branch Root Injury In A Motorcycle Enduro Rider!
The patient was participating in an off-road motorcycle enduro race when he encountered a challenging section of the course with thick vegetation and overhanging branches.
While navigating through the uneven terrain at high speed, the patient failed to duck in time, and his left foot accidentally came into contact with a protruding branch root, resulting in a penetrating injury to the dorsal aspect of the foot, leading to soft tissue trauma and puncture wound.
Luckily, no evidence of fractures or foreign body retention after the extraction was done.
While navigating through the uneven terrain at high speed, the patient failed to duck in time, and his left foot accidentally came into contact with a protruding branch root, resulting in a penetrating injury to the dorsal aspect of the foot, leading to soft tissue trauma and puncture wound.
Luckily, no evidence of fractures or foreign body retention after the extraction was done.
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20points
#12 A Devastating Grinder Injury Of The Hand — Notice The Left Hand Caught Within The Meat Grinder!!
This 22-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department with his left hand caught in a commercial meat grinder. After partially dismantling the grinder, the patient was brought to the hospital, with the hand still trapped inside.
The patient was taken to the operating theater and given general anesthesia. A welder was brought in to cut across the thick metallic components of the grinder using a cutting torch.
After removing the outer shell, the hand was found to have extensive crush injuries. Three distinct longitudinal wounds were present over the fingers, the distal palmar crease, and the distal wrist crease, corresponding to the worm of the grinder.
No bleeding was observed from the wounds until the level of the wrist. At this point, the bones of the distal to the wrist were completely crushed, exposing the underlying tendons. After washing out the wound with povidone-iodine and saline, a disarticulation was performed at the level of the wrist.
The postoperative period was uneventful, and the patient was discharged after a day. He was followed closely in the outpatient department but refused prosthesis and reconstructive surgery for the injury.
Case by Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, India.
The patient was taken to the operating theater and given general anesthesia. A welder was brought in to cut across the thick metallic components of the grinder using a cutting torch.
After removing the outer shell, the hand was found to have extensive crush injuries. Three distinct longitudinal wounds were present over the fingers, the distal palmar crease, and the distal wrist crease, corresponding to the worm of the grinder.
No bleeding was observed from the wounds until the level of the wrist. At this point, the bones of the distal to the wrist were completely crushed, exposing the underlying tendons. After washing out the wound with povidone-iodine and saline, a disarticulation was performed at the level of the wrist.
The postoperative period was uneventful, and the patient was discharged after a day. He was followed closely in the outpatient department but refused prosthesis and reconstructive surgery for the injury.
Case by Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, India.
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20points
We are allowed to gaze upon the "forbidden" interior of the species without any actual danger, satisfying a voyeuristic urge that has existed since the first public dissections in the Renaissance. The aesthetic of the internal body also plays a massive role in our fixation. There is an undeniable, albeit alien, beauty in the fractal patterns of the bronchial tubes or the vibrant, dyed landscapes of a histological slide.
#13 This Man Has Miraculously Survived After Apparently Hammering Three 10cm (4-Inch) Nails Into His Own Head
The 69-year-olds x-rays revealed that the nails had been hammered through his skull and into his brain – but he made a full recovery following a surgery and a 3-months stay at the hospital.
He claimed that he hammered the nails in himself and was very insistent to the doctors that the police were not called in relation to his injuries.
He made a full recovery with no major neurological deficit.
He claimed that he hammered the nails in himself and was very insistent to the doctors that the police were not called in relation to his injuries.
He made a full recovery with no major neurological deficit.
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19points
#14 Neurosurgeon Removes Live 8cm Long Worm From Woman's Brain!!
Scientists last month published an unprecedented case, where they found and extracted a live parasitic worm from the brain of a 64-year-old Australian woman.
The neurosurgeon found and removed the parasite with forceps during a biopsy, from within the lesion shown on the MRI (light gray area).
"I used tumor-holding forceps and lifted out something that I definitely was not expecting: a linear, squiggling line, and my junior doctor said, 'is that an artery?', because that's what it looked like. And I said, 'it's not an artery, we're nowhere near any artery!' And I noticed it was moving and I went, 'just get it out of my forceps!' So we rapidly put it in a pathology pot, and it was a vigorously wriggling worm."
Symptomatically, weeks of abdominal pain and diarrhea led to night sweats and a dry cough, but evolved towards problems like forgetfulness and depression, presumably as the worm׳s activities kept affecting different parts of the brain.
The worm was some 8 centimeters (just over 3 inches) long and is a rare parasite called Ophidascaris Robertsi. This is a type of Roundworm (Helminth). This roundworm usually lives in a Carpet Python. The eggs of the worm are around the snakes’ faecal droppings, which infect the grass. This grass containing the eggs, are eaten by small mammals, who are then eaten by the Carpet Python. This is how this worm gets cycled between its two hosts. This woman became an 'accidental host'. She lived near the carpet python habitat and while foraging the native vegetation for cooking, she ingested the worm eggs. The worm developed in her intestine and travelled via blood circulation to her brain.
In response, the body produces inflammation around the worm and as a result, an area of inflammatory tissue or granuloma develops in the brain. Depending upon the affected location, it can cause a multitude of symptoms such as pressure symptoms - headache, vomiting, visual blurring, confusion, altered sensorium, cognitive symptoms - forgetfulness, problems in understanding, calculations, disorientation, seizures and epilepsy - due to irritation of the brain by inflammatory tissue.
The neurosurgeon found and removed the parasite with forceps during a biopsy, from within the lesion shown on the MRI (light gray area).
"I used tumor-holding forceps and lifted out something that I definitely was not expecting: a linear, squiggling line, and my junior doctor said, 'is that an artery?', because that's what it looked like. And I said, 'it's not an artery, we're nowhere near any artery!' And I noticed it was moving and I went, 'just get it out of my forceps!' So we rapidly put it in a pathology pot, and it was a vigorously wriggling worm."
Symptomatically, weeks of abdominal pain and diarrhea led to night sweats and a dry cough, but evolved towards problems like forgetfulness and depression, presumably as the worm׳s activities kept affecting different parts of the brain.
The worm was some 8 centimeters (just over 3 inches) long and is a rare parasite called Ophidascaris Robertsi. This is a type of Roundworm (Helminth). This roundworm usually lives in a Carpet Python. The eggs of the worm are around the snakes’ faecal droppings, which infect the grass. This grass containing the eggs, are eaten by small mammals, who are then eaten by the Carpet Python. This is how this worm gets cycled between its two hosts. This woman became an 'accidental host'. She lived near the carpet python habitat and while foraging the native vegetation for cooking, she ingested the worm eggs. The worm developed in her intestine and travelled via blood circulation to her brain.
In response, the body produces inflammation around the worm and as a result, an area of inflammatory tissue or granuloma develops in the brain. Depending upon the affected location, it can cause a multitude of symptoms such as pressure symptoms - headache, vomiting, visual blurring, confusion, altered sensorium, cognitive symptoms - forgetfulness, problems in understanding, calculations, disorientation, seizures and epilepsy - due to irritation of the brain by inflammatory tissue.
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19points
#15 Reaching For Life! This Image Depicts A Deeply Moving Moment Of A Preterm Baby, Born At Just 24 Weeks Gestation And Weighing 570 Grams
Babies born this early are considered micro-preemies, facing extraordinary challenges, as they are highly vulnerable to numerous complications due to underdeveloped organs and systems. The image, showing a tiny hand reaching out, reflects the fragility and resilience of life in its earliest and most vulnerable state.
At 24 weeks, the lungs, brain, and digestive system are not fully developed, requiring intense medical intervention in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This baby is likely receiving life-sustaining support, including mechanical ventilation or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for immature lungs, intravenous nutrition, and possibly phototherapy for jaundice. Every day is critical for a micro-preemie like this, with survival dependent on advanced neonatal care and the gradual maturation of vital organs.
Despite the overwhelming challenges, the hand reaching out is a symbol of hope—a testament to the potential for survival and the tireless efforts of healthcare professionals in the NICU to provide this baby the best chance at life.
At 24 weeks, the lungs, brain, and digestive system are not fully developed, requiring intense medical intervention in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This baby is likely receiving life-sustaining support, including mechanical ventilation or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for immature lungs, intravenous nutrition, and possibly phototherapy for jaundice. Every day is critical for a micro-preemie like this, with survival dependent on advanced neonatal care and the gradual maturation of vital organs.
Despite the overwhelming challenges, the hand reaching out is a symbol of hope—a testament to the potential for survival and the tireless efforts of healthcare professionals in the NICU to provide this baby the best chance at life.
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18points
Under the lens of a scanning electron microscope, even the most mundane parts of our anatomy, like a taste bud or a strand of hair, look like something from a high-budget science fiction film. This shift in scale detaches the image from the person, allowing us to appreciate the geometry of life as a form of art.
#16 This Is A Heart-Warming Shot Of A Premature Baby Born So Tiny His Father’s Wedding Ring Fit His Forearm Like A Bracelet
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18points
#17 A Newborn With A Giant Teratoma Of The Right Orbit Saved By Embolisation And Surgery
Orbital teratomas are rare, usually benign congenital tumors, with about 70 cases reported in the English literature. Clinically, the tumor presents in healthy newborns with rapid growth, extreme unilateral proptosis and marked stretching of the eyelids over a tense, fluctuating mass, with elongation of the palpebral fissure and transillumination of all or part of the orbital mass. The persistent enlargement of this neoplasm is attributed to mucus secretion from the embryonic intestinal tissue. In this case, cyanoacrylate glue embolisation of the ophthalmic artery, using an umbilical catheter, followed by orbital xenteration under general anaesthesia was performed at 7 hours of life. Surgery was achieved in less than 2 hours with no bleeding, especially after sections of oculomotor muscles and optic nerve. Dilated skin tissue was long enough to heal the whole orbital cavity, and postoperative care has been uneventful after a follow-up of two years. Credit: Journal Français d'Ophtalmologie Volume 40, Issue 4, April 2017.
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18points
#18 This Is The Femur Of A 10-Year-Old Boy With Ewing’s Sarcoma After Treatment With Liquid Nitrogen
This patient underwent limb salvage therapy with biological reconstruction.
The femur was removed, treated with liquid nitrogen to kill remaining tumor cells, and then reimplanted. The series of images illustrates the surgical process and post-surgical radiographs.
After surgery, recovery in the ICU and chemotherapy, the patient can now ride a bike again.
Ewing’s Sarcoma is an undifferentiated neoplasm that is part of the Ewing Tumor family, derived from embryonic cells that migrated from the neural crest. The most common locations are the pelvis and proximal long tubular bones (such as femur, tibia and humerus) especially around the growth plates.
30% are overtly metastatic at presentation.
Presentation is non-specific with patients experiencing extreme local bone pain, being by far the most common symptom, with a soft tissue mass being palpated occasionally.
Swelling is most likely to be visible if the sarcoma is located on a bone near the surface of the body, but when it occurs in other places deeper in the body, like on the pelvis, it may not be visible.
A typical “onion skinning”-type pattern is often seen on x-rays.
Mutation wise, a genetic chromosomal translocation t(11;22) which leads to expression of fusion protein EWS-FLI1 is found in around 90%.
Almost all patients require multidrug chemotherapy as well as local disease control with surgery and/or radiation.
The femur was removed, treated with liquid nitrogen to kill remaining tumor cells, and then reimplanted. The series of images illustrates the surgical process and post-surgical radiographs.
After surgery, recovery in the ICU and chemotherapy, the patient can now ride a bike again.
Ewing’s Sarcoma is an undifferentiated neoplasm that is part of the Ewing Tumor family, derived from embryonic cells that migrated from the neural crest. The most common locations are the pelvis and proximal long tubular bones (such as femur, tibia and humerus) especially around the growth plates.
30% are overtly metastatic at presentation.
Presentation is non-specific with patients experiencing extreme local bone pain, being by far the most common symptom, with a soft tissue mass being palpated occasionally.
Swelling is most likely to be visible if the sarcoma is located on a bone near the surface of the body, but when it occurs in other places deeper in the body, like on the pelvis, it may not be visible.
A typical “onion skinning”-type pattern is often seen on x-rays.
Mutation wise, a genetic chromosomal translocation t(11;22) which leads to expression of fusion protein EWS-FLI1 is found in around 90%.
Almost all patients require multidrug chemotherapy as well as local disease control with surgery and/or radiation.
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We are mesmerized by the sheer efficiency of it all. How can something so messy and fragile on the inside produce something as coordinated and graceful as a human being on the outside? It is the ultimate "behind-the-scenes" look at the most sophisticated technology on the planet. Historically, this tension between wonder and woe was categorized under the concept of the Sublime, an aesthetic quality that describes something so vast or powerful that it inspires both awe and terror.
#19 Extreme Case Of Craniofacial Fibrous Dysplasia
Craniofacial fibrous dysplasia is a bone disease of the face and skull that replaces normal bone with fibrous-type tissue. This tissue is not as hard as normal bone, and because it is soft and stringy, and as these areas of fibrous tissue grow and expand over time, it makes the bone more fragile, prone to break, and eventually become deformed. Craniofacial fibrous dysplasia may cause shifting of facial features and facial asymmetry, such as incorrect placement of the eyes, misalignment of the jaw, and other problems. It may appear in childhood, usually between the ages of 3 and 15. Boys are more often affected. Surgical treatment is usually required. Most cases of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia manifest as swellings that cause facial deformity and surgical recontouring after cessation of growth seems to provide the best results.
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#20 Hundreds Of Nerve Tumors That Form Soft Bumps On/Under The Skin
This very specific clinical finding is associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), also called von Recklinghausen's disease, a rare genetic disorder characterized by the development of multiple noncancerous (benign) tumors of nerves and skin (neurofibromas) and areas of abnormally decreased or increased coloration (hypo- or hyperpigmentation) of the skin. It is one of the most common genetic disorders and affects 1 in 3,500. Adults develop neurofibromas, which are noncancerous (benign) peripheral nerve sheath tumors that are usually located on or just under the skin. Many have also multiple café-au-lait spots, which are flat patches on the skin that are darker than the surrounding area. NF-1 is caused by a mutation of a gene on the long arm of chromosome 17 which encodes a protein known as neurofibromin, which is a negative regulator of the Ras oncogene signal transduction pathway. When Ras isn’t regulated, it is overexpressed. These are a family of proteins that are involved in cellular signal transduction. A cascade effect occurs when ras is “switched on” by incoming signals, leading to activation of other proteins, which, in turn, activate genes responsible for cell growth and differentiation, hence leading to neurofibromas. Due to their benign nature, neurofibromas should be surgically excised only when symptomatic.
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