A surprise case of triskeles: a three-legged neonate

Derived from the Greek word triskeles meaning three legs, the triskele is an ancient symbol made up of three spirals or three legs joined at the centre. A supernumerary limb, or polymelia, is a rare congenital anomaly in humans and this article presents the case of a term infant born with a limb-like appendage attached to the medial aspect of the left thigh.

Meenu Giffi
Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Pooja Siddhi
Consultant Paediatrician with an interest in neonates and paediatric infectious diseases
p.siddhi@nhs.net

Neonatal Department, Walsall Manor Hospital

Giffi M., Siddhi P. A surprise case of triskeles: a three-legged neonate. Infant 2024; 20(2): 47-48.

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Keywords

polymelia; supernumerary limb; congenital anomaly

Key points

There is an extreme lack of literature on polymelia.
The case discussed here presented at birth with a supernumerary lower limb bud and well-formed foot on the left thigh.
This case supports the need for improved understanding on the development of polymelia and treatment outcomes.

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