Twins Names:
Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen
Birthdate:
January 2006.
Hometown:
Fargo, North Dakota.
Type of Conjoined Twins:
Omphalopagus: The girls were connected at the chest and abdomen, sharing a liver and parts of their digestive systems. This type of conjoined twins is generally accorded the highest survival rate.
Separation Date:
May 12, 2006.
Separation Location:
Mayo Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital in Rochster, Minnesota.
Separation Details:
A thirty-member medical team performed the surgery over the course of seven hours. The multi-faceted surgery involved many steps, including: Separation of the intertwined livers, separating their diaphragms, joined pancreases and part of their intestines, re-positioning their hearts, removing their gall bladders and building a biliary structure as a bile duct for Abbigail.
Status:
The twins condition was upgraded on Monday, May 15 and they continue to do well. They were released from the hospital and returned home in June 2006.
