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American Morning

Doctors Hoping to See Pair of Smiles From Formerly Conjoined Twins

Aired August 07, 2002 - 09:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The medical signs are all good, and now doctors are hoping to see a pair of smiles from the formerly conjoined twins. The little girls are in the intensive care unit at UCLA Medical Center.

Our Gary Tuchman is outside the hospital this morning, and he has the latest.

Gary, good morning.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning to you.

And we're more than delighted to you that here at the Mattel Children's Hospital at the UCLA Medical Center, the news is as good as could be expected. Two 1-year-old twin girls who lived the first 377 days of their lives connected at the head are now separated. They're in intensive care, and critical, but stable condition. And they're next to each other for the first time in their lives.

Maria Teresa and Maria De Jesus, very unusual surgery, 22 hours. A team of more than 50 doctors and nurses participated. The doctors here say a very rare surgery, a head-to-head separation, only been done a few times ever in the world, and the first time ever here at the UCLA Medical Center.

Now the bigger one of the twins, Maria Teresa, had additional surgery after the 22 hours. She had a hematoma on the brain, blood on the brain, five more hours, but she is said to be doing well now. And doctors say her prognosis is the same as her sister's, and that prognosis is cautious optimism for both of them that they'll live normal lives, although the days and weeks ahead are considered to be very crucial. The medical team appeared on AMERICAN MORNING earlier today, and the chief neurosurgeon asked about the possibility of brain damage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JORGE LAZAREFF, UCLA MEDICAL CENTER: It's possible that they will not reach the milestones of their second year of life as rapidly as any other child would, but I -- that's why I -- as I said yesterday, five years. I mean, I am absolutely sure that by the time the five years -- or four more years, they would have already reached those milestones. So even though they may already have brain damage, the plasticity of their brain will allow them to recovery most of their functions they may have lost during this medical procedure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TUCHMAN: The parents are inside the hospital right now. They and their children are from Guatemala. They're from the impoverished village in Guatemala of Belen. In Belen and throughout Guatemala, as you might imagine, this is also a huge story, people are very happy about what's happened, and they continue to offer their prayers.

Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: I think even our international desk is sending a camera down there to see how this news the being received in Guatemala.

Gary Tuchman in Guatemala, thank you so much.

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