What a risk ! - Twins Connected At Chest, Abdomen Successfully Separated

Conjoined baby twin girls who shared the same chest wall, lungs, pericardial sac, diaphragm, liver, intestines, colon and pelvis successfully underwent complex 26-hour separation surgery.

The twins, pictures before the surgery were connected at the chest and abdomen and shared several vital organs including the liver, lungs and intestines

Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata were born conjoined in Texas last April and now, ten months later, they have been finally separated by a team of doctors in a complex 26-hour operation. The surgery is believed to be the first in its kind as the twins conjoined at the chest and abdomen had been separated successfully. This became possible due to high professionalism of more than 26 clinicians, including 12 surgeons, six anesthesiologists and eight surgical nurses.

The girls have been finally separated by a team of doctors in a complex 26-hour operation

Mrs Mata discovered she was carrying conjoined twins when a routine ultra-sound showed that the girls were connected at the chest and abdomen

Happy parents Elysse and John Eric just can’t find proper words to thank the doctors, the girls’ mother Elysse says, “We know how much planning and time went into this surgery and we are so blessed to be at a place like Texas Children’s where we have access to the surgeons and caretakers that have made this dream a reality. We also want to express our gratitude to all of the people that have prayed and provided support to our family over the last 10 months.”

Before the surgery Knatalye and Adeline underwent a five-hour procedure to place tissue expanders in their chest to prepare for the operation

The full team that helped to separate the twins pose for a picture in the operating theatre

Preparing for the major surgery a 3-D model of the twins’organs were created so doctors have a possibility to conduct simulations of the actual separation surgery. Meanwhile both Knatalye and Adeline were undergoing a procedure of expanding their skin on chest and abdomen in preparation for their separation surgery. The girls are now being cared for in the hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit, where they will have to undergo additional procedures before being released from hospital.

Doctors and family members gather around the other girl as she recovers from surgery. The operation to separate them lasted a total of 26 hours