Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

History of Conjoined Twins

Aired July 06, 2003 - 08:09   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Our own surgeon and medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has some expert perspective on separating conjoined twins. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Conjoined twins have captured our imagination since the first case was revealed over a thousand years ago. The term "Siamese twin" is no longer used, but was coined in the 1800s for the Thai born, Chang and Ang Bunker. Arguably the most famous conjoined twins ever.

They married sisters, fathered 21 children between them and toured the world in the circus. After they died, doctors realized it had only been skin that connected them. Their separation would have been easy.

Today, thanks to modern imaging and advanced operative techniques, even the rarest of conjoined twins, those connected at the head are being separated. Most recently the two Marias from Guatemala underwent a 23-hour operation at UCLA Medical Center in July of last year. Ahmed and Mohammed Ibrahim from Cairo, Egypt are undergoing evaluation for separation in Texas later this year. Laurie and Reba Chappell are now the only adult twins connected at the head living in the United States. They don't want surgery and today spend their energy focused on Reba's career as country music singer.

Those joined at the head are the rarest, around one in two million births. But twins may be conjoined elsewhere in their body more commonly. Up to one in 100,000 births.

And now, 1,000 years after the first apparent case, medical history will continue. If the operation in Singapore is successful, Ladan and Laleh Bijani will be first adults conjoined at the head to become separated.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired July 6, 2003 - 08:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Our own surgeon and medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has some expert perspective on separating conjoined twins. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Conjoined twins have captured our imagination since the first case was revealed over a thousand years ago. The term "Siamese twin" is no longer used, but was coined in the 1800s for the Thai born, Chang and Ang Bunker. Arguably the most famous conjoined twins ever.

They married sisters, fathered 21 children between them and toured the world in the circus. After they died, doctors realized it had only been skin that connected them. Their separation would have been easy.

Today, thanks to modern imaging and advanced operative techniques, even the rarest of conjoined twins, those connected at the head are being separated. Most recently the two Marias from Guatemala underwent a 23-hour operation at UCLA Medical Center in July of last year. Ahmed and Mohammed Ibrahim from Cairo, Egypt are undergoing evaluation for separation in Texas later this year. Laurie and Reba Chappell are now the only adult twins connected at the head living in the United States. They don't want surgery and today spend their energy focused on Reba's career as country music singer.

Those joined at the head are the rarest, around one in two million births. But twins may be conjoined elsewhere in their body more commonly. Up to one in 100,000 births.

And now, 1,000 years after the first apparent case, medical history will continue. If the operation in Singapore is successful, Ladan and Laleh Bijani will be first adults conjoined at the head to become separated.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com