Related News
Separated twins set to return home soon
Source: Agencies |
September 20, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SUDANESE twins born with the tops of their heads joined together have been separated in a rare and risky series of operations at a London children's hospital.
Facing the World, a charity which helps disfigured children, said it had helped fund the four-stage operation on 11-month-old Rital and Ritag Gaboura.
The twins were born joined at the head. Separating them can be dangerous, especially if - as in this case - there is significant blood flow between their brains.
"It is extremely high risk," said Dr James Goodrich, who coordinated a similar separation of conjoined twins at New York's Montefiore Children's Hospital in 2004.
But the alternative can be just as bad. Conjoined twins almost never pump the blood across their bodies evenly. So the strongest strains his or her heart trying to pick up the slack.
Facing the World said Ritag's overworked heart was already failing by the time her family arrived in the UK.
The charity said the separation took place in stages at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital. The final separation took place on August 15.
"Incidences of surviving twins with this condition is extremely rare," said lead surgeon David Dunaway. "The task presented innumerable challenges and we were all very aware of our responsibilities to the family and these two little girls."
The charity's executive coordinator, Sarah Driver-Jowitt, said the parents - who have not been named - may soon return home "with two healthy, separate girls."
Facing the World, a charity which helps disfigured children, said it had helped fund the four-stage operation on 11-month-old Rital and Ritag Gaboura.
The twins were born joined at the head. Separating them can be dangerous, especially if - as in this case - there is significant blood flow between their brains.
"It is extremely high risk," said Dr James Goodrich, who coordinated a similar separation of conjoined twins at New York's Montefiore Children's Hospital in 2004.
But the alternative can be just as bad. Conjoined twins almost never pump the blood across their bodies evenly. So the strongest strains his or her heart trying to pick up the slack.
Facing the World said Ritag's overworked heart was already failing by the time her family arrived in the UK.
The charity said the separation took place in stages at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital. The final separation took place on August 15.
"Incidences of surviving twins with this condition is extremely rare," said lead surgeon David Dunaway. "The task presented innumerable challenges and we were all very aware of our responsibilities to the family and these two little girls."
The charity's executive coordinator, Sarah Driver-Jowitt, said the parents - who have not been named - may soon return home "with two healthy, separate girls."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
