Baby in Pakistan Born With Two Working Phalluses but No Anus in a Rare Case of Diphallia

A medical rarity has occurred wherein a baby was born without an anus but with two fully functional penises. MailOnline reported that doctors who documented this extremely unusual case of diphallia in a medical journal reported that the phalluses appeared normal in shape, with one being larger by 1cm.

Surgeons in Islamabad noted that the baby could urinate through both openings. However, they did not explain why they decided not to remove either phallus.

The Boy With Diphallia

According to Daily Mirror, the Pakistani baby born without an anus underwent a successful colonoscopy to enable him to excrete stool. The baby was diagnosed with diphallia, a rare condition characterized by two well-formed phalluses and an accompanying anomaly of the urogenital and gastrointestinal systems.

Only 100 cases of diphallia have been recorded since human history began, with the first case dating back to 1609. The boy was born after 36 weeks and underwent surgery immediately after birth. Although there was a higher risk of mortality due to the rarity of the condition, he was discharged after two days, and a follow-up appointment was arranged.

The doctors found that the baby had no anal opening and two well-formed phalluses, one of which was 1.5cm while the other was 2.5cm. Scans revealed that the boy had one bladder attached to two urethras which meant he passed urine from both penises.

The surgeons diverted one end of his colon and created an opening in the lower left side of his abdomen to allow the baby to defecate. There was no statement as to whether this condition was the first in the world.

The doctors who treated the boy revealed in a paper titled "A Very Rare Case of Diphallia With Anorectal Malformation," published in the International Journal of Surgery Case Reports that only 1% of sufferers had the defect which affects their anus or rectum. The successful colonoscopy allowed the baby to excrete stool.

Despite the child's inherently higher risk of mortality caused by the accompanying anomalies of the urogenital and gastrointestinal system, the surgery was successful. Post-surgery, the child was monitored for two days before being discharged from the Children's Hospital at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.

More About Diphallia

As per the NIH's Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD), diphallia is an infrequent urogenital tract malformation that can present as a complete or partial duplications of the penis shaft, ranging from the duplication of the glans to the presence of two penis shafts.

Diphallia is classified as a birth defect and a urogenital disorder, and it remains an area of ongoing research and study. While uncommon, diphallia can occur as an isolated condition or be associated with more severe anomalies like pubic symphysis diastasis, imperforate or duplicated anus, colon/ rectosigmoidal duplication, inguinal hernia, and vertebral anomalies.

The population estimate of individuals with penile duplication in the US is fewer than 1,000, and symptoms may begin to appear in newborns and infants. At this time, GARD does not have information about this condition's cause, and no known organizations are explicitly dedicated to diphallia.

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