Conjoined Twins Basic Facts | CNN

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Here’s a look at conjoined twins.

Conjoined twins are physically connected to each other at some point in their bodies.

Conjoined twins occur once in every 200,000 live births.according to the University of Minnesota.

About 70% of conjoined twins are female.

Conjoined twins are identical, they are of the same sex.

According to the Mayo ClinicConjoined twins can join in any of these areas: chest, abdomen, spine, pelvis, trunk, or head.

Scientists believe that conjoined twins develop from a single fertilized egg that fails to fully separate when it divides.

The term “Siamese twins” originated with Eng and Chang Bunker, a set of conjoined twins who were born in Siam (now Thailand) in 1811. They lived to be 63 years old and were featured in traveling exhibitions. Chang and Eng married and fathered a total of 21 children between them.

In 1955, neurosurgeon Dr. Harold Voris at Mercy Hospital in Chicago performed the first successful procedure to separate conjoined twins.

Read and Tabea Block
Born August 9, 2003 in Lemgo, Germany, the son of Peter and Nelly Block. They are joined at the head. On September 16, 2004, the girls break up. Tabea dies soon after.

Jade and Erin Buckles
Born February 26, 2004, to Melissa and Kevin Buckles at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. They share a liver. On June 19, 2004 they successfully separated.

Tatiana and Anastasia Dogaru
Born on January 13, 2004 in Rome to Romanian parents Claudia and Alin Dogaru. They are connected at the head. In August 2007, doctors at University Hospital’s Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland announced that they would not separate the girls because the surgery is too risky.

Abigail and Isabelle Carlsen
Born November 29, 2005 in Fargo, North Dakota, to Amy and Jesse Carlsen. They are united at the abdomen and chest. On May 12, 2006, a team of 30 people, including 18 surgeons from various specialties at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, perform a successful operation to separate the girls.

Regina and Renata Salinas Fierros
He was born on August 2, 2005 in Los Angeles to Sonia Fierros and Federico Salinas. Born facing each other and conjoined from the lower chest to the pelvis, they are fused together in several places, including the liver and genitalia, and share a large intestine. Regina is born with one kidney. On June 14, 2006, the twins are separated during day-long surgery at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Abygail and Madysen Editor
Born August 8, 2006, to Stacy and Suzy Fitterer of Bismarck, North Dakota. They are born joined at the abdomen and share a liver. On January 3, 2007, they are separated in surgery at the Mayo Clinic.

Preslee Faith and Kylee Hope Wells
Born October 25, 2008 in Oklahoma City to Stevie Stewart and Kylie Wells. They are conjoined at the chest and are believed to be the first Native American conjoined twins. On January 19, 2009, they are separated at OU Medical Center Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City. On February 19, 2011, Preslee Faith dies.

Arthur and Heitor Rocha Brandão
Born in April 2009 in Bahia, Brazil, the son of Eliane and Delson Rocha. They are joined at the hip and share a bladder, intestines, liver, and genitalia. The twins only have three legs between them. On February 24, 2015, the five-year-old twins underwent a 15-hour separation surgery after months of preparation. Arthur dies three days after going into cardiac arrest.

Angelica and Angelina Sabuco
Born in August 2009 in the Philippines to Fidel and Ginady Sabuco. They are united at the chest and abdomen. On November 1, 2011, they are successfully separated after a 10-hour surgery at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in San Jose, California.

Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf
Born December 2, 2009 in London to Angie and Azzedine Benhaffaf from East Cork, Ireland. They are attached to the thorax but do not share major organs. On April 8, 2010, they undergo a 14-hour separation surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital. They both survive.

Maria and Teresa Tapia
Born on April 8, 2010 in the Dominican Republic to Lisandra Sanatis and Marino Tapia. They are joined at the lower thorax and abdomen and share a liver, pancreatic glands, and part of their small intestine. On November 8, 2011, they are successfully separated following a 20 hour procedure.

Joshua and Jacob Spates
Born on January 24, 2011 in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of Adrienne Spates. They are joined back to back at the pelvis and lower spine, each with separate hearts, heads, and limbs. On August 29, 2011, they successfully separate after a 13-hour surgery. In October 2013, Jacob passes away.

Rital and Ritag Gaboura
Born on September 22, 2010, in Khartoum, Sudan, Abdelmajeed and Enas Gaboura. They are joined at the head. On August 15, 2011, they successfully separated after a four-stage operation. Two operations were carried out in May, one in July and the last one in August.

Allison June and Amelia Lee Tucker
Born March 1, 2012, to Shellie and Greg Tucker. They are united in the lower thorax and abdomen and share the chest wall, diaphragm, pericardium, and liver. On November 7, 2012, they are was successfully separated after a seven-hour surgery at Children’s Hospital Philadelphia.

A’zhari and A’zhiah Lawrence
Born October 10, 2012 in Virginia to Nachell Jones and Carlos Lawrence. They are attached from the chest to the abdomen and have an attached liver. On April 22, 2013, they are successfully separated after 14 hours of surgery. On October 14, 2013, A’zhari passes away.

Emmet and Owen Ezell
Born on July 15, 2013 in Dallas to Jenni and Dave Ezell. They bind in the liver and intestine. On August 24, 2013, they successfully separated.

knatalye hope and adeline faith kills
Born April 11, 2014 in Houston to Elysse and John Matta. They are joined at the chest and share the liver, the lining of the heart, the diaphragm, the intestines, and the colon. On February 17, 2015, a team of 12 surgeons separated the twins during a 26-hour procedure.

Erika and Eva Sandoval
Born on August 10, 2014 in California to Aida and Arturo Sandoval. They are conjoined at the lower chest and upper abdomen and share one liver, one bladder, two kidneys, and three legs. On December 6 and 7, 2016, they separate successfully after 17 hours of surgery at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford in California.

Acen and Appio Akello
Born on September 23, 2014 in Uganda to Ester Akello. They are joined at the hip and pelvis. On September 3, 2015, more than 30 medical specialists helped separate the twins’ spinal cord during a 16-hour surgery at National Children’s Hospital of Ohio. To prepare for the surgery, the medical specialists used 3D printing to create anatomies similar to those of the girls.

Carter and Conner Mirabal
Born December 12, 2014 in Jacksonville, Florida to Michelle Brantley and Bryan Mirabal. They are joined at the sternum and abdomen and share a liver and part of their small intestine. On May 7, 2015, the twins are successfully separated after 12 hours of surgery at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Florida.

Scarlett and Ximena Torres
Born May 16, 2015 in Corpus Christi, Texas to Silvia Hernandez and Raul Torres. Scarlett and Ximena are connected below the waist, sharing a colon and bladder. On April 12, 2016, the twins are separated during a 12-hour procedure at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Texas.

Anias and Jadon McDonald
She was born on September 9, 2015 in Chicago to Nicole and Christian McDonald. They are joined at the head. On October 13 and 14, 2016, Anias and Jadon are successfully separated after 27 hours of surgery at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

Dawa and Nima Pelden
Born on July 13, 2017 in Bhutan to Bhumchu Zangmo. They are joined at the abdomen. On November 9, 2018, Dawa and Nima break up successfully after a six-hour surgery at the Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital in Australia.

Safa and Marwa Ullah
Born on 7th January 2017 in Pakistan to Zainab Bibi. They are joined at the head. On February 11, 2019, Safa and Marwa are successfully separated after 50 hours of surgery, which took place over a period of four months, at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital.

ervina and prefina bangalo
Born on June 29, 2018 in the Central African Republic to Ermine Nzutto. They share a skull and most blood vessels. On June 5, 2020, the twins are successfully separated during an operation in Vatican City with a duration of 18 hours and in which 30 doctors and nurses participated.

Abigail and Micaela Bachinskiy
Born on December 30, 2019 in Sacramento, California. The twins are joined at the head. On October 23 and 24, 2020, the the twins are successfully separated during a 24-hour operation at UC Davis Children’s Hospital in Sacramento, California.

Siphosethu and Amahle Tyhalisi
Born on January 30, 2021 in South Africa to Ntombikayise Tyhalisi. They are joined at the head. On February 24, 2021, the the twins are successfully separated during an operation at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town.

Hasana and Hasina
Born on January 12, 2022 in Kaduna, Nigeria to Omar Rayano. They share the abdomen, pelvis, liver, intestines, urinary and reproductive systems, and pelvic bones. On May 18, 2023, the twins are successfully separated during an operation at the King Abdullah Children’s Specialized Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.