Conjoined twins are a form of the embryonic developmental anomaly of twin pregnancy of which there are several forms in the medical literature. The anomaly of embryogenesis, which has not yet been elucidated, is characterized by the fusion or fission of the embryonic disc, resulting in the fusion of the twins and the sharing of one or more organs. The origin is not mystical or religious, which is important for health care personnel to know, as they are called upon to assist the parents and their families (victims) with advice and clarification. We report the conjoined thoraco-omphalopagus twins recorded in a rural setting, 40 years old and multiparous woman, without any morbid history, referred for prolonged labour from a health facility to the general referral hospital of Lubao, in the province of Lomami, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It appears to be the first to be published in our setting, the aim of which is to present the characteristics of conjoined twins and their evolution in the context of our setting.
Cite this paper
Bukasa, H. K. , Kabondo, D. N. , Mongane, T. B. , Kabadi, G. N. , Cizungu, A. M. , Christophe, M. E. , Ngongo, P. M. and Mangaza, M. L. (2022). A Case Report and Review of the Literature on Monomphalic Thoraco-Omphalopagus Conjoined Twins in the Congolese Environment. Open Access Library Journal, 9, e8993. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1108993.
de Freitas, M.H.B., Lima, L.C., de Menezes Couceiro, T.C., da Costa, M.C.F. and de Freitas, M.H.B. (2019) Anesthesia and Perioperative Challenges for Surgical Separation of Thoraco-Omphalopagus Twins: Case Report. Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology, 69, 214-217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjane.2018.10.004
Miceli, F. (2014) Dicephalus dipus dibrachius: Conjoined Twins through the Ages. Australasian Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, 17, 49-53.
https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2205-0140.2014.tb00085.x
Abubeker, F.A., Tufa, T.H., Shiferaw, M.A., Feyssa, M.D., Gudu, W., Bekele, D., et al. (2021) Successful Dilation and Evacuation for Second Trimester Conjoined Twin: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Journal of Medical Case Reports, 15, 298. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-021-02815-4
Liu, H., Deng, C., Hu, Q., Liao, H., Wang, X. and Yu, H. (2021) Conjoined Twins in Dichorionic Diamniotic Triplet Pregnancy: A Report of Three Cases and Literature Review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 21, Article No. 687.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-04165-x
Mutchinick, O.M., Luna-Muñoz, L., Amar, E., Bakker, M.K., Clementi, M., Cocchi, G., et al. (2011) Conjoined Twins: A Worldwide Collaborative Epidemiological Study of the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part C: Seminars Medical Genetics, 157, 274-287. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.c.30321
Takrouney, M.H., Ibrahim, I.A., Abdel-Ghaffar, H.S., Abdel-Wahhab, A.I., Mostafa, M.M., Ali, W.N., et al. (2020) Conjoined Twins: A Report of Four Cases. International Journal of Surgery Case Reports, 73, 289-293.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijscr.2020.06.072
Goldman-Yassen, A.E., Goodrich, J.T., Miller, T.S. and Farinhas, J.M. (2020) Preoperative Evaluation of Craniopagus Twins: Anatomy, Imaging Techniques, and Surgical Management. American Journal of Neuroradiology, 41, 951-959.
https://doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A6571
Savulescu, J. and Persson, I. (2016) Conjoined Twins: Philosophical Problems and Ethical Challenges. The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, 41, 41-55.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jmp/jhv037
Dinh, T.Q., Duc, N.M., Binh, H.T.T., Hang, T.T.T., Xuyen, N.T.C., My, T.T.T., et al. (2021) A Case Report Describing the Successful Separation of Ischiopagus Tetrapus Conjoined Twins in Vietnam. Radiology Case Reports, 16, 2658-2562.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radcr.2021.06.048
Ionio, C., Mascheroni, E., Lista, G., Colombo, C., Ciuffo, G., Landoni, M., et al. (2022) Monochorionic Twins and the Early Mother-Infant Relationship: An Exploratory Observational Study of Mother-Infant Interaction in the Post-Partum Period. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, Article No. 2821. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052821
Ouedraogo, A. (2020) Perceptions, connaissances et attitudes concernant les naissances gémellaires en Afrique subsaharienne: Le cas du Burkina Faso et du Sénégal [Perceptions, Knowledge and Attitudes about Twin Births in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Burkina Faso and Senegal]. Dialogue, 229, 185-204.
https://www.cairn.info/revue-dialogue-2020-3-page-185.htm
https://doi.org/10.3917/dia.229.0185
Aneja, A., Rajanna, D.K., Reddy, V.N., Mayilvavaganan, K.R. and Pujar, P. (2013) Conjoined Twins: A Rare Case of Thoraco-Omphalopagus. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 7, 1471-1472. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2013/5746.3165
Taner, M.Z., Kurdoglu, M., Taskiran, C., Kurdoglu, Z., Himmetoglu, O. and Balci, S. (2009) Early Prenatal Diagnosis of Conjoined Twins at 7 Weeks and 6 Days’ Gestation with Two-Dimensional Doppler Ultrasound: A Case Report. Cases Journal, 2, 8330. https://doi.org/10.4076/1757-1626-2-8330
https://casesjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.4076/1757-1626-2-8330
Muhammad, S., Laraswati, B. and Violetta, L. (2022) Radiology Assessment of Omphalopagus Conjoined Twins: A Case Report. Radiology Case Reports, 17, 1169-1174.
Chrysostome, G., Olivier, B., Franck, H., Ombretta, P., Mariella, E. and Marras, C. (2021) First Total Posterior Craniopagus Twins in Central African Republic: Two Years Challenge of Management. Open Journal of Pediatrics, 11, 438-449.
https://doi.org/10.4236/ojped.2021.113041
Konan Blé, R., Séni, K., Adjoussou, S., Quenum, G., Akaffou, E. and Koné, M. (2008) Jumeaux conjoints craniopages: Difficultés de prise en charge en milieu africain [Craniopagus Conjoined Twins: Difficulties of Management in Africa]. Gynécologie Obstétrique & Fertilité, 36, 56-59.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gyobfe.2007.08.027
Osman, K., Adib, A.F., Abdellaoui, B., Bezad, R. and Chraïbi, C. (2012) Découverte anténatale de jumeaux conjoints omphalo-ischiopages à 14 semaines d’aménorrhée. La Revue Sage-Femme, 11, 210-212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sagf.2012.08.002
Attar, I., Chaara, H., Jayi, S., Alaoui, F.F. and Melhouf, A. (2021) Grossesse gémellaire avec siamois parapages dicéphaliques diagnostiquée au 2e trimestre: A propos d’un cas et revue de la littérature. International Journal of Medical Reviews and Case Reports, 5, 23-27. https://doi.org/10.5455/IJMRCR.siamois-parapages
Swar, M.O., Khawaga, M.A. and Altahir, S.H. (2011) Dicephalus tribrachius Conjoined Twins: Case Report and Review of Literature. Sudanese Journal of Paediatrics, 11, 50-53.