Siamese twins have historically had a very difficult time. Survival rates have been low, with about 50 percent stillborn and of the remaining half, another half dies from complications, leaving about 25 percent. Throughout history, Siamese twins – if they even survived birth – have had to spend their entire lives together. But thanks to modern medicine and medical surgery, Siamese twins can now be separated so they can lead a “normal” life. If the twins are not yet adults and do not share vital organs, a surgical separation can be successful. But surgery still carries great risks. When Maggie Altobelli was 20 weeks pregnant, she learned through an ultrasound that the twins in her belly were conjoined, writes People.
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“I tried to determine the gender of a baby I thought we were going to have, and it turned out to be a bit more complicated,” Maddie told the magazine.
Naturally, everyone involved was concerned, but it soon became clear that the girls had separate hearts. This made a separation possible after birth.
It was also revealed that the girls shared the diaphragm and liver, but the liver was so large that it could be divided.
The children’s hospital in Philadelphia, where the operation was performed, said, “Their split liver was also large enough to share between them, making them excellent candidates for a separation surgery.”
Born via C-section
For the rest of the pregnancy, Maggie and Dom were both anxious and nervous about what the future would hold.
The girls were born on November 18, 2020, via C-section and remained in the hospital. For a total of ten months.
The family tried to live as best as they could while the doctors took care of the entire operation. They made 3D models of the liver, used skin expanders to ensure they would both have enough skin after the operation to cover the exposed chest wall and abdomen.
Separated after 10 hours
And on October 13, it finally happened. After a 10-hour operation, Addy and Lilly were separated.
“They’re seeing with their own body – their body was just so perfect – it was amazing,” Maggie said in a hospital press release.
A month later, the family was able to return to Chicago.
Today, Addy and Lily are just over a year old. They still receive tube feeding and assistance with breathing, but doctors are optimistic about the girls’ future.
Sharing a Special Bond
Although they are no longer physically connected, the girls still share a special bond.
“They sit up and look at each other and smile and play,” Dom told Today.
This is our journey. It’s a very special journey in many ways,” Maggie added and continued:
“These girls will lead a long, healthy life. It’s quite miraculous and incredible that we live this life.”
Watch more of the incredible fate of the twins in the video below:
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