CHOP Surgeons Separate Twins Conjoined At The Head

PHILADELPHIA – Experts at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have again made headlines through outstanding medical work, as surgeons successfully separated twin girls who were conjoined at the head for the first time ever at CHOP.

On Tuesday, June 6, a multidisciplinary team of approximately 30 members, including physicians, nurses and other medical staff from neurosurgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and anesthesiology, participated in the separation, according to CHOP.

After about 11 hours, twins Erin and Abby Delaney of North Carolina were successfully separated.

“Separating conjoined twins is a very complex surgery followed by a long and complicated recovery, but we are very hopeful for a positive outcome,” plastic surgeon Jesse Taylor, MD, said. “Erin and Abby are now recovering in our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit under close monitoring by our expert teams,” he added.

Taylor co-led the team with neurosurgeon Gregory Heuer, MD, PhD. Both Heuer and Taylor are on the faculty of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

The twins were born 10-weeks early on July 24 via c-section at CHOP and received care at CHOP's Newborn/Infant Intensive Care Unit for about seven months before being moved to another unit at CHOP while they awaited the separation surgery.

CHOP has separated 23 conjoined twins, but the Delaney's were the first case of craniopagus (the technical term for being joined at the head) that CHOP surgeons completed.

As the babies recover from surgery, they will be closely monitored in the coming months by their surgeons, nutritionists, developmental pediatricians, and other specialists to ensure that they receive the best clinical care to enable them to thrive and grow. They will also likely undergo one or more additional surgeries, CHOP said.

As for parents Heather and Riley, they are gearing up for a celebration after the lengthy surgery and recovery time.

"When we go home, it’s going to be a big party," Heather said. “Welcome home, baby shower, first birthday."

The surgical team consisted of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and others, including:

Surgeons

• Gregory Heuer, MD, PhD,
• Jesse Taylor, MD,
• Phillip B. Storm, MD,
• Benjamin C. Kennedy, MD,
• Sanjay Naran, MD,
• and Justin Fox, MD.
  

Anesthesiologists

• Allison Reed Perate, MD,
• Matthew Pearsall, MD,
• Chelsea Whillie, MD,
• and Michael Puglia, MD.

Nurses

• Francesca Drake,
• Kathleen Dunleavy,
• Diann Forster,
• Jena Koury,
• Roseann Osadchuk,
• Anastasia Pack,
• Nicole Peck,
• Tiffany Snyder,
• and Teresa Wechseser.

Congratulations to the CHOP team, parents Heather and Riley, and most of all Erin and Abby!

Images via CHOP