California Conjoined Twins Successfully Separated

SACRAMENTO, CA — Conjoined twin sisters from Sacramento County are now separated, it's been reported.

Erika and Eva Sandoval, 2-year-olds who were born conjoined from the chest down, were successfully separated after a 17-hour surgery Tuesday at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford in Palo Alto.

"The twins did very well," lead surgeon Dr. Gary Hartman, who headed a team of about 50 physicians, nurses and operating room staff during the procedure, told KCRA 3. "I'm very pleased; this is as good as we could have asked for."

The girls, who were born Aug. 10 2014, shared a bladder, liver and a third leg. Due to their shared bladder and complex digestive system, they suffered from multiple urinary tract infections and excessive vomiting.

Following the surgery, proud parents Aida and Arturo Sandoval confirmed that each girl still has portions of the bladder, liver and small intestines, according to a story from The Sacramento Bee. The girls also have one leg each.

The Sandovals first saw their newly-separated girls around midnight Wednesday.

“They look amazing. They’re amazing. They have their hair done, and they’re resting,” Aida told The Sacramento Bee. “We’re just going to take it one day at a time and let them catch up on their rest.”

Though originally from Antelope, Aida and the twins moved into a Palo Alto apartment in October to live closer to at Lucile Packard, while Arturo stayed in the Sacramento area where he works as a heavy equipment mechanic, according to The Sacramento Bee.

The family launched a page on the crowdfunding site YouCaring to raise money for rent and medical expenses.

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