Discovery channel presents " The Girl With Eight Limbs "

Media News

New Delhi, November 04, 2008

In a remote village in Bihar, Poonam Tatma gave birth to a girl without any form of medical supervision or antenatal care. From the day she was born, it invoked tremendous curiosity in the village. Hordes of people started turning up from the neighboring areas to see the girl. The reason: she was born with eight limbs and people believed that she is a living God, a reincarnation of Goddess Lakshmi.

Doctors, however, had a completely different point of view. They concluded that she carried a parasitic conjoined twin – a rare anomaly that could kill her if not acted upon. Lakshmi was actually two bodies united at the pelvis. Only one of the twins had a head. Two pairs of arms and legs had formed at either end of the two adjoining torsos, creating a child with eight limbs.

This left her parents – Shambhu and Poonam, with a dilemma, whether to accept surgery to remove her extra limbs or to leave her as she is, as believed by the villagers – an incarnation of goddess Lakshmi. Discovery Channel will present this entire story in its premiere programme ‘The Girl With Eight Limbs’ on November 8th at 9 pm.

Commenting on the series, Rajiv Bakshi, Director - Marketing & Communications – India, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific said, “ The Girl With Eight Limbs " will narrate the real story of Lakshmi, her parents’ dilemma, public reactions, global media attention and the complicated medical journey. It will highlight in detail the meticulous and rare medical surgery covering both the emotional and technical aspects including her recovery and resettlement.”

Dr. Sharan Patil, Chairman and chief orthopaedic surgeon, Sparsh Hospital, Bangalore, who conducted the surgery said, “The story of Lakshmi Tatma is special for more than one reason. The girl, from the remote village of Bihar, was deprived of good medical care. The condition she was born with was not compatible with survival. Ischiopagus parasiticus conjoined twin is one of the rarest forms of birth anomalies. A successful surgical separation with such a medical condition was never attempted before in India and only a hand full had been done across the world. Discovery Channel has captured this gripping story in the most sensitive and vivid manner.”

In Bangalore, after conducting a series of tests Dr. Patil assisted by 30 other doctors performed a 27 hours surgery to separate Lakshmi from her conjoined parasitic twin. The show captures the complications that took place during the surgery, as Lakshmi’s extra limbs belonged to a half-formed conjoined twin with no head. She had a heart, lungs and liver, but only one kidney. Her parasitic twin had a kidney, but no other internal organs. Dr. Patil considered transplanting this into Lakshmi. Lakshmi’s spine was directly connected to the twin’s and her pelvis had to be reconstructed before the twin could be removed.

Prior to the surgery, Lakshmi was unable to walk or crawl and had little chance living past adolescence. Now she can stand with help and is expected to be able to walk and lead a normal life.

For any further information, please contact:

Discovery Communications India

Surbhi Gupta

E-mail: surbhi_gupta@discovery.com

Tel: 011 – 41491100