It was the first time the procedure was attempted in conjoined twins. In May 2007, doctors used a catheter to insert wire coils into the veins of the two girls, successfully redirecting their blood flow. Their parents believed separation would give them their best chance at living a normal life. There were also risks of complications, such as brain damage, but the girls also risk early death if they remain conjoined. Doctors estimated the twins had only a 50 percent chance of surviving the surgery. The girls also share blood flow to the back of the brain and some brain matter. Anastasia, whose kidneys don't function, relies on her sister's kidneys, and Tatiana on her sister's circulatory system. The top of Tatiana's head is attached to the back of Anastasia's. They get around with Anastasia leading the way and Tatiana following. The girls are currently developing normally for their age and speak both Romanian and English. The Dogaru family - who also have an older son, Mihail, and younger son Theodor - were brought to north Texas by the World Craniofacial Foundation to have Anastasia and Tatiana evaluated for possible separation. Their mother heard about the successful separation of Egyptian-born twins who were also joined at the head and hoped her children could also be successfully separated. The twins were born in Rome, Italy to Romanian parents, Alin Dogaru, a Byzantine Catholic priest, and Claudia Dogaru, a nurse. However, in August 2007 the surgery was called off as too dangerous. They were scheduled to begin the first of several surgeries to separate them at Rainbow Babies and Children's Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. We want to thank you for your continued prayers.Anastasia and Tatiana Dogaru (born 13 January 2004) are craniopagus conjoined twins. We know the doctors are being cautious to keep the girls safe. In a statement read by a hospital spokeswoman, the girls' parents said, "We are pleased to see the girls are in good shape. They arrived in Cleveland in April after 2 1/2 years in Dallas. Alin Dogaru, a Byzantine Catholic priest, and Claudia Dogaru, both 31, have said they view the separation surgeries as the girls' best hope. Most twins joined at the head die at birth, and just 10 percent survive to age 10, according to the hospital. The girls have already beaten the odds by living this long. The top of Tatiana's head is attached to the back of Anastasia's, and they have never been able to look directly at each other. The surgery, one of four procedures planned over several months, lasted most of Wednesday and didn't end until early evening. "We remain hopeful that we can help the twins," he said. "Even though no actual cutting into the brain tissue was done yesterday, some very important information was gained and I think our physicians were gratified to know that information," Levitan said. The medical team was to conduct tests including an MRI to determine the cause of the swelling, then decide whether they could attempt the procedure again, Levitan said. "They felt that it would not be safe to cut into the brain tissue or the surrounding blood vessels in any way, without first understanding the cause of the swelling as well as the slightly low blood pressure," Levitan said. Doctors also noted that her blood pressure was lower than usual. The twins, born in Italy to Romanian parents, were awake and alert a day after the operation, he said.ĭoctors at University Hospitals' Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital discovered the swollen brain tissue of Anastasia, the larger and stronger twin, after removing a section of bone. Medications to reduce the swelling were ineffective, and doctors closed an opening to Tatiana and Anastasia Dogaru's brains without beginning to separate them Wednesday, said Nathan Levitan, the surgery team leader and chief medical officer at University Hospitals Case Medical Center. CLEVELAND - An operation to begin separating 3-year-old twin girls joined at the head was halted because one girl's brain was swollen, a hospital official said Thursday.
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