Earlier this month, two 10-month-old twins who were born with conjoined heads underwent surgery to separate them. The 11-hour surgery, completed at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, was successful, according to The Washington Post. The twins, Erin and Abby Delaney of North Carolina, were recovering as of last week.
Dr. Jesse Taylor, a plastic surgeon who helped lead the team of about 30 doctors, said the surgery was “complex” and recovery will be “complicated” but that the team is “very hopeful for a positive outcome.” This is the 23rd time the hospital separated conjoined twins over the past 60 years. However, it is the first involving the separation of children joined at the top of their heads, which is apparently the least common type of conjoined twins.
The twin girls were born 10 weeks prematurely in late July by C-section–and will return home later this year. According to the doctors, further surgery is probably necessary. Heather Delaney, their mom, can’t wait for them to come home, of course, saying, “When we go home, it’s going to be a big party. Welcome home, baby shower, first birthday.”
We hope for a complete recovery for the twins.
