Rebeca Martinez

Rebeca MartinezDecember 17, 2003Dominican Republiccraniopagus parasiticusAfter an attempt to remove an undeveloped second head, Rebeca died on Saturday, February 7, 2004.Jorge Lazareff, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at UCLA's Mattel Children's Hospital
Dr. Benjamin Rivera, neurosurgeon at the CURE International Center for Orthopedic SpecialtiesRebeca was only the eighth documented case of parasitic twins conjoined at the top of the head when she was born in the Dominican Reupblic in late 2003. Her doctors believed that the only way to save baby Rebeca's life was to remove the second head, which was growing faster than her own. They feared the pressure from the growth would hinder her brain development. The two heads shared arteries, but had individual brains. The brain on the parastic head was only partially formed; the head also has ears, eyes and lips. Doctors detected some activity in the second brain; for example, the mouth moved when Rebeca was breastfed. CURE International helped to fund the procedure, with the help of personnel who donated their time and services. Lead neurosurgeon, Jorge Lazareff flew to the Dominican Reupblic from Los Angeles, where he participated in the successful surgical separation of Guatemalan twins Maria Teresa and Mara de Jesus Quiej-Alvarez in 2003.