- An eight-hour surgery was performed on seven-week-old twin girls November 11 at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky
- The girls were joined at the chest and abdominal cavity and also shared some heart structures and their livers were connected
- Doctors are 'cautiously optimistic' about their future, despite their long term prognosis being unknown
- More than 45 doctors, nurses and hospital staff were involved in the planning procedure to separate the girls
Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville said in a statement that the eight-hour surgery was performed on the seven-week-old girls on November 11.
While both remain on ventilators, the hospital said they are getting stronger each day.
The girls were joined at the chest and abdominal cavity. They shared some heart structures and their livers were connected, according to the statement.
The girls were joined at the chest and abdominal cavity. They shared some heart structures and their livers were connected
Doctors waited as long as they could to perform the risky procedure, making the decision to move forward because both girls needed increased breathing support.
'One of the infants was more fragile than the other, and survival was in question,' according to the release.
Although their long-term prognosis is unknown, chief cardiovascular surgeon Erle H. Austin III says doctors are 'cautiously optimistic' about their future.
'In any situation where you have so complex a surgery, there is always a long road to recovery,' Austin said in a news release.
Doctors waited as long as they could to perform the risky procedure, making the decision to move forward because both girls needed increased breathing support
'We are cautiously optimistic, as one or both may require additional surgeries in the future.'
More than 45 doctors, nurses and hospital staff were involved in the planning procedure to separate the girls whose names have not been released.
