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Twin girls, 2, born joined at the head die minutes after being separated following five gruelling surgeries
the-sun.com • • health
Key Points:
- Twin sisters Heloísa and Helena, conjoined at the head and sharing brain tissue and blood vessels, died minutes after a 15-hour separation surgery at Hospital das Clínicas in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
- The girls, aged two years and seven months, had undergone four prior surgeries over nearly two years to prepare for the final operation involving more than 50 medical staff.
- During the final surgery on August 15, both twins experienced haemodynamic instability leading to cardiac arrest; despite 25 minutes of resuscitation efforts, they were pronounced dead shortly after separation.
- The twins had fragile health due to prior complications including pneumonia, tracheostomy, and feeding difficulties, which contributed to their bodies being unable to withstand the final procedure.
- Their treatment was fully funded by Brazil’s public healthcare system, and their father expressed gratitude to the medical team, viewing the outcome as part of the challenging nature of such complex cases.
