Surgeons Say Conjoined Twins Separation Surgery was Complex but Successful

Surgeons Say Conjoined Twins Separation Surgery was Complex but Successful
Richmond, Virginia 11/9/2011

Dominican First Lady, Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, accompanied the mother as the conjoined twins underwent complicated but successful separation surgery in Richmond, Virginia.

El doctor David A. Lanning, capitán del equipo médico conformado por 20 galenos que participaron en la cirugía, sostuvo que las niñas estaban unidas por el tórax y el abdomen, compartiendo el hígado y parte de su sistema gastrointestinal, …

Doctor David A. Lanning, chief surgeon on the 20-member medical team who participated in the separation surgery, said the girls were joined at the thorax and abdomen and shared a liver and part of their gastrointestinal system, the reason one of the twins, María Teresa, was unable to process the necessary nutrition for her growth and development.

He explained that the girls will remain in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for several more days then will undergo routine follow-up for several months. The entire team is hoping the twins will go on to be healthy adolescents.

Margarita Cedeño de Fernández spent several hours with the twins’ mother Lisania Sanatis and their aunt, Mary Sanatis, who received support throughout the entire process from the team of collaborators at the Office of the First Lady.

This support was highlighted by the president of the World Pediatric Project (WPP), Susan Rickman, who said that without the support and efforts of the volunteers of the organization, donors, members of the hospital staff and families, the girls would not have had access to the advanced medical care and experience necessary to safely separate them.

“We are very grateful to everyone who has come together to help these girls and their family,” said Ms. Rickman.

Lisandra Sanatis thanked First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández for the support she received since the birth of her daughters up until this important moment. “The impossible was made possible. I never dreamed that my daughters would have this opportunity,” said Ms. Sanatis who spoke with her sister, Mary, by her side.

The girls underwent surgery after a series of treatments which included the implantation of a balloon last September which enabled the completion of the expansion process of the fine tissues. The globe was located under the right thorax and a liquid was regularly injected into it to gradually stretch the tissue.

Dr. David A. Lanning of the Children’s Hospital of Virginia, is the chief surgeon who led the team of specialists which, along with the World Pediatric Project, was in charge of the entire process which involved providing top quality medical care as well as psychological and emotional support to the mother and twins.

The girls traveled to the United States for separation surgery last August 31, having been sent by the Office of the First Lady which took care of all the expenses.

Maria Teresa and Teresa Maria Tapia Sanatis were born in the Dr. Luis Eduardo Aybar Hospital in April, 2010. From the time of their birth, they began to receive visits from the First Lady who immediately offered her help and support to the twins and their mother.

The girls traveled to the United States for separation surgery last August 31, having been sent by the Office of the First Lady which took care of all the expenses.

They celebrated their first birthday with a beautiful party organized by the Office of the First Lady (DPD in Spanish). The party was attended by family members and DPD staff members. For their first birthday, the First Lady gave the girls a fully-furnished residence.