Abstract

Human Tail in an Ethiopian Newborn: A Clinicopathologic Case Report

Background: A human tail can appear as an appendage in the lumbosacral area and is both an anomaly and a cosmetic stigma. It is a rare congenital malformation that protrudes from the midline skin-covered lumbosacral region. True and false tails (pseudo tails) are two different types of human tails. True tails, also referred to as vestigial tails, are caudal, midline protrusions capable of spontaneous or reflex motion. They are covered with skin that is made up of normal blood vessels, nerves, striated muscle, adipose tissue, and connective tissue. Case Presentation: A 47-day-old female newborn delivered to a 28-year-old primiparous woman was found to have a cutaneous appendage that emerged from the sacrococcygeal region in the middle of the body, just above the intergluteal cleft. The tail-like structure was 9 cm long, cylindrical in shape, and pointed at the end. Its overall diameter ranged from 3 cm to 2 cm. The structure was soft, covered with skin, and demonstrated free motion. The MRI scan reveals spinal bifida at the S1-S2 level. Conclusions: This is a rare case of a female newborn who was delivered through spontaneous vaginal delivery at the age of 47 days with a vestige of a human tail and spinal bifida, as confirmed by histopathologic examination.

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