The first pair was successfully separated in 2007 by a team that Hartman led. The surgery was the second separation of conjoined twins performed at Packard Children's.

But thanks to the state-of-the-art equipment the team used to divide the tissue and cauterize the girls' blood vessels, virtually no blood loss occurred during that part of the procedure, said Hartman, clinical professor of pediatric surgery at the School of Medicine. Hemorrhage had been a concern because one quarter of the body's blood supply passes through the liver each minute. The riskiest portion of the procedure, dividing the girls' fused livers, went slowly but smoothly. The operation was the culmination of several months of complex planning involving specialists from nearly every part of the hospital. 1 2011 in a 10-hour surgery at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.Angelica and Angelina Sabuco, twins who were born conjoined at the chest and abdomen, are now separate little girls. A three dimensional model is being made from the scans. Also, scans have produced images of the girls' skulls and brains to help doctors better prepare. 'The whole principal behind it is that hopefully it will make it easier for their surgical colleagues.' In other treatments preparing the twins for separation, a feeding tube was placed into Tatiana's stomach to help her maintain strength, since she tends to eat very little. But they are certainly correct in that it's probably the first time it's been done in a case of craniopagus twins,' Goodrich said. He said veins are too small for the coil procedure when conjoined twins are separated as babies. Goodrich, director of pediatric neurosurgery at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, said using the coil device was possible because of the girls' age. The medical team involved with the Dogaru twins believes the coil procedure hasn't been tried in a comparable case. In the case of the conjoined twins, it's 'a step towards creating an independent circulation' for each child, Levitan said. Wire coils made of platinum are used to block blood vessels to redirect blood flow in a variety of medical treatments. Levitan explained that recent tests on the Dogaru twins found that their brains are against each other, and it is not clear how much brain tissue might be shared. Alin Dogaru, a Byzantine Catholic priest, and Claudia Dogaru, both 31, said they view the medical procedures as the best hope for the two girls. Twins born joined at the head - called craniopagus twins - are extremely rare, occurring in about 1 in 2.5 million births. Anastasia, the larger twin, also requires a kidney transplant she has no kidney function and relies on Tatiana's kidneys. What's next In the weeks to come, the twins will face other tests on blood flow and heart function. Without separation, they run the risk of dying in early childhood.

The twins, born in Rome, arrived in Cleveland on April 6 after 21/2 years in Dallas. A team of up to 50 doctors and nurses will separate the girls in four stages over several weeks at Rainbow Babies & amp Children's Hospital in Cleveland. The top of Tatiana's head is attached to the back of Anastasia's. Doctors are confident the procedure can work, while acknowledging the risks, he said. Nathan Levitan, chief medical officer at University Hospitals Case Medical Center and the leader to the team that intends to separate Tatiana and Anastasia Dogaru. 'Based on recent events, we are enthusiastic and hopeful,' said Dr. CLEVELAND (AP) - Doctors have successfully inserted wire coils into the veins of 3-year-old conjoined twins to help give them independent blood flow to their brains as part of what will be a months-long, high-risk procedure to separate them, a doctor said Thursday. If they aren't separated, the twins are likely to die within a few years.

Dogaru twins separation