Six-week-old twin boys who were conjoined at birth were successfully separated, and doctors said both are doing well, making full progress toward recovery.
The surgery spanned nine hours and took place on Saturday.
Science World Report said the boys were born July 17 in Guthrie, Okla., conjoined from their breastbone to their hip bone. The pair, Owen and Emmett Ezell, were sent to Dallas for surgery, which was made even more complicated by the discovery of their shared liver and intestine.
On top of that, both had a birth defect called omphalocele – which means the lower part of their stomach didn’t have skin or muscles, and the shared intestinal tract was actually located outside the body.
The boys were given only a 50 percent chance of survival. But they’re now in stable condition, recovering at Medical City Children’s Hospital. They’re still on breathing support, but otherwise doing fine.
“I’m just so happy that they’re here and they’re alive and thriving. It’s the best feeling in the world, : said Jenni Ezell, the 31-year-old mother, at a press conference in Dallas, reported by Science World Report.
The twins weighed 11 pounds, 15 ounces at birth. They now weigh more than 16 pounds – a positive indicator of healthy healing, doctors said.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.