Conjoined Twins Who Shared A Kidney Separated In Salt Lake City

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Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 08 Aug 2006 - 10:00 PDT


Kendra and Maliyah Herrin used to be conjoined twins, they shared a kidney, liver, pelvis, part of the large intestine and two legs. Doctors, during an operation which lasted the best part of a day, successfully managed to separate them at Primary Children's Medical Center, Salt Lake City, USA.

The medical team consisted of six surgeons, two urologists, a radiologist, two anesthesiologists and 30 support staff.

According to their parents, the twins, now 4, wanted to be separated. Jake Herrin, the father, said in the family's web site (link below) that they have finished reconstructing Maliyah's pelvis and are now beginning to close the skin. Kendra is currently having some reconstruction surgery on her pelvis.

This is the first separation of conjoined twins who share one kidney, Dr. Rebecka Meyers, head pediatrician, told the Associated Press.

For the moment Maliyah does not have a kidney, Kendra does. Maliyah will get one donated from her mother, in about three months' time. Doctors say Maliyah needs to build up her strength before the transplant operation. Until then she will be on dialysis.

Maliyah and Kendra have one leg each. They will each have a prosthetic leg. The father said the two girls have touched him and his wife in a way that no two people or one person can touch anybody. He described the girls as energetic, lively and an inspiration.

Last June balloons were implanted into the girls to stretch their skin and muscles in preparation for the operation. In order to prepare the girls psychologically for the procedure, the girls had conjoined dolls which received treatment at the same time they did.

Here is the latest quote from the family's web site:

This is so unbeleivable, the doctors say that they don't think it could have gone any better than it did. They didn't think they would have enough skin for Kendra, but they did!!! The doctors are soooo amazing. We couldn't have asked for a better team. We owe them our lives and even more.

What Are Conjoined Twins?

There are two types of twins, Fraternal Twins and Identical Twins. Fraternal twins come from two different eggs (dizygotic) while Identical Twins come from the same single egg (monozygotic). In the case of identical twins, the developing embryo splits into two.

Fraternal Twins look as similar to each other as normal siblings do, while Identical Twins look very much like each other. Identical Twins are always of the same sex, Fraternal Twins can be either of the same sex or different sexes.

Conjoined Twins are Identical Twins

However, on the 13th day after conception the developing embryo does not split into two completely - parts of the two stay stuck to each other. The embryos develop into fetuses that have parts fused (stuck to each other).

Three quarters of all conjoined twins are girls. However, male identical twins are more common than female ones.

Approximately 1 out of every 40,000 to 70,000 births are conjoined twins. Of every 200,000 live births 1 is of conjoined twins. 40% of conjoined twins are stillborn, 75% are either still born or do not live for more than 24 hours.

http://www.herrintwins.com

http://www.conjoined-twins.i-p.com

Primary Children's Medical Center

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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