Doctors remove baby's third arm

Tuesday, June 6, 2006; Posted: 1:04 a.m. EDT (05:04 GMT)
Doctors say the boy will require long-term physical therapy. Options considered for boy born with a well-formed third arm

SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- Doctors on Tuesday successfully removed an unusually well-formed third arm from a two-month-old Chinese boy.

Neither of the boy's two left arms is fully functional, but doctors decided to remove the one growing closer to his chest after tests showed it was less developed, said Dr. Chen Bochang, head of the orthopedics department at Shanghai Children's Medical Center.

"The surgery was quite successful," Chen said following the three-hour operation. "Now we're just waiting for the patient to wake up." The boy, identified only as "Jie-jie," would require long-term physical therapy to build strength in the hand on his remaining arm, Chen said.

The boy also was born with just one kidney and may have problems that could lead to curvature of the spine, local media reports said. Jie-jie cried when either of his left arms was touched, but smiled and responded normally to other stimuli, the reports said.

With the growing popularity of Asian baseball prospects, they've just ruined his big league career! Could you imagine a 3-handed shortstop?!?! :p

Why did I open this thread? I just ate lunch.

Even a bad left-handed pitcher can make a million bucks a year in magor league baseball. Imagine a pitcher with TWO left arms...one to start, one for relief.

I saw the x-rays published on-line and it appears that neither of the two left arms developed completely or correctly. The arm they removed (the one in the front) was "less developed" and other reports say that the remaining left arm and hand don't have the full complement of bones for normal function.

Is it just me, or does that baby's head seem too big for his body?

tony b.

You're right, it seems to have no neck.

I wonder what's with the bandage on the kid's face.

I think this thread is disgusting. In my opinion, making a fool out of an unfortunate baby (someone who possibly is going to live with handicap all his life) is -- at least --distasteful. A little bit more sensitivity would be highly appreciated and I'm surprised nobody -- not even mods -- considered that before.

While I agree that it's unfortunate what happened to this child and mocking people with disabilities is wrong, I for one know I never intended on creating humor out of this topic. A simple oddity now and then can be interesting and deformities such as these are somewhat commonplace. Any humor found in this subject I'm sure was never intended to be malicious.

I agree, after re-reading your own posts. But I find questionable the idea of starting this thread anyway.

interesting for scientists, sure, but I doubt there are any in these BBs.

I disagree. The reference to the sport and the battery skills, well...they are absolutely in poor taste. You don't use humour if there's nothing to laugh at. And in this case, there was absolutely nothing to laugh at. IMO.

So it should have never been posted because we are not scientists, therefore we cannot find it interesting?

of course not. As long as you are going to discuss it seriously and not making a fool out of that baby. What do you think the parents would do, looking at those "humorous" references some brilliant minds made? Laugh at it too?

I was going to post a tasteless, disgusting X-Men poster with the baby in the center...but I can't find it.

Out-of-the-womb product placement. Nelly is trying to attract more Asian fans.

Def Leppard eat your hearts out! :p

this is sick that some of you use a sad thing like this to make jokes about. this is a handicapped baby for gods sake. what the hell is wrong with you people? what if that was ur child? i'll bet that it wouldnt be so funny to you then.


ds

what are you laughing for, Patrick? I must be dumb, I don't understand.

What exactly did you find so funny about his post?


Don Cardi

You think that what I said is funny Patrick? Then you must think that making jokes about this baby is funny to. You must be one sick individual on a lot of drugs.


ds

Nah, he's just a misguided youth, that's all. :rolleyes:

It seems to be very hard for some on these boards to understand that terrible things like this are not meant to be used for the amusement of themselves or others who have a sick and twisted sense of humor.


Don Cardi

You know JJ.. if nothing else.. it really is impressive, all the pictures of nooses you find. :p

You know JJ.. if nothing else.. it really is impressive, all the pictures of nooses you find. :p [/b][/quote]Pfft, as a future historian, I have an unlimited number of resources at my fingertips.

Besides, Google Image Search is great too. :p

Shut it down!

About Smitty's? Look at that spelling. And it's Smitty. That is reason enough to laugh.

Plenty of those around here these days, right?

While you're at it, why don't you ask Smitten why the fuck he's laughing in Patrick's graduation thread?

Go on, I dares ya.

Why don't you ask Smitty yourself?

And since you decided to post in this topic, I am really interested to hear how you feel about this unfortunate incident being turned into a form of humor for some, or if you agree with Patrick's reply.


Don Cardi

Two reasons why I don't wish to ask Smitten himself. One: I'd prefer to communicate via a mediator, if at all, in order to keep my brain cells intact; I nominated you for that job. I don't know if that's a compliment or not, though. Two: I don't really particularly care that he posted a derogatory smiley in Patrick's thread, but thought that, even if it is a title simply in jest, that your "Moderator" status, and aspirations to be a gentleman should be fair to both sides - why confront Patrick for posting such a smiley but not Smitten?

As far as agreeing with Patrick's post, then yes, I agree; seeing a post from Smitten is reason enough to laugh.

I think humour is always at the expense of something, and this is so touchy just because it happens to be at the expense of a child unable to defend itself against such jokes. I deliberately left out "afflicted", there, for that is arguable, whereas "child" status is pretty concrete, for the time being. Sometimes laughter is an instinctive defense against otherwise confrontation of the abnormal; I know many people who have said they can't help but laugh at funerals, or when they find out somebody has died. Am I defending such humour in this thread? Possibly, I don't know.

As for my thoughts on the picture, I find it beautiful.

Guys, keep this talk about member's personalities and posting styles off the boards. It doesn't really matter if you like each other BUT keep it off the boards!

EDIT :Out of respect for our Consigliere SC and also realizing that I should not embaress Capo on the open boards, I've decided to delete what I originaly replied to Capo by acting like a "gentleman" and taking it to a PM.


Don Cardi