Rare Conjoined Twins Successfully Separated After 18-Hour Surgery That Required a Team of Over 30 Healthcare Providers

After an 18-hour surgery, a pair of formerly conjoined twins have been successfully separated.

When their mom, Sam, brought her twins, Ally and El, to Seattle Children’s Hospital last year, they were joined at the pelvis. Doctors immediately began planning a surgery to separate them. The surgery took place the following February, when the twins were 15 months old.

“Conjoined twins are rare, and twins joined at the pelvis, like Ally and El, are even rarer,” said Dr. Caitlin A. Smith, co-director of the Reconstructive Pelvis Medicine program at Seattle Children’s, in a press release.

“The surgery required to separate them is highly specialized, but I was excited because I knew we had the right team in place. We think about surgery all the time, but this required another level of coordination and teamwork,” she added.

Doctors began preparing for the surgery in October. Each twin had her own team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses to provide care during the operation. Detailed imaging, including MRI, fluoroscopy, and endoscopy, helped the doctors understand each twin’s unique anatomy.

During the surgery, doctors made incisions on the twins’ shared abdomen and pelvis and carefully separated their gastrointestinal, gynecologic, and urologic systems. Afterward, the pelvis was fully separated.

Next, the surgical team reconstructed each twin using absorbable mesh along with soft tissue and skin flaps. The twins were then moved to the intensive care unit (ICU) to recover.

At first, Ally and El were unable to move freely while healing. With the help of rehab medicine doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech specialists, the twins grew stronger. They were finally able to leave the hospital in May and continue recovering at home.

Now, although they continue therapy, Ally and El have improved their speech, strengthened their muscles, and are learning to walk.

“It’s incredible to watch our girls crawl quickly, learn new words, and see their distinct personalities emerge,” said Sam. “We are very happy with the care we received at Seattle Children’s. It was the right decision for our family.”

To help support Ally, El, and Sam, consider donating to their GoFundMe page.