Born with a rare congenital condition that left a large, head-like mass growing from the top of his skull, eight-month-old Tofajjal from Tripura, India, underwent a life-changing surgery that gave him a chance at a normal life.

The mass, which weighed nearly one kilogram and contained brain tissue, was the result of encephalomeningocele—a neural tube defect in which brain tissue, membranes, and fluid protrude through an opening in the skull. The condition is estimated to occur in roughly one in every 40,000 to 45,000 births and is more frequently reported in parts of Southeast Asia. To his parents and community, the growth appeared as a “second head,” a parasitic twin-like structure that made everyday care difficult and left the family in constant fear.

Local doctors and relatives had told Shah Alam Mia and Sabia Khatun, residents of a remote village in western Tripura, that their son’s case was nearly hopeless and that he might not survive long. Undeterred, the parents traveled to Kolkata and sought care at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals.

On July 28, 2013, a surgical team led by neurosurgeon Sisir Das performed a complex five-hour operation to remove the lesion. Das later described the procedure as one of the most challenging of his career, noting that even a minor error could have been fatal. The mass was carefully excised while protecting critical structures.

The surgery succeeded. Tofajjal recovered well, and within weeks the family was able to return home to Agartala with a healthy, smiling baby free of the heavy growth that had defined his early months. Doctors expressed hope that he would go on to lead a relatively normal life.

The case drew attention at the time as an example of both the severity of rare neural tube defects and the difference specialized surgical care can make for families with limited resources. For Tofajjal’s parents, what had once seemed an impossible situation ended in relief and gratitude.

Sources

• Business Standard / IANS reports on the successful surgery at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata (August 2013)
• Statements by neurosurgeon Sisir Das detailing the diagnosis of encephalomeningocele, the size of the mass, and the five-hour operation
• Contemporary coverage describing the parents’ journey from Tripura and the baby’s recovery