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Two
surgical teams successfully separated 3-day old conjoined
identical twins Gabby and Rose Atuel at the Gov. Celestino
Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) yesterday afternoon.
Mary
Jane (Gabby) and Mary Kris (Rose) were born omphalopagus
twins, a condition where both are conjoined in the abdomen,
last May 10 at the San Miguel Infirmary Hospital, San
Miguel town before they were brought to the GCGMH. This
is the first case doctors here had to deal with conjoined
twins.
What
amazed doctors was the fact that their mother, Rosalie
Atuel, 17, had a
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normal
delivery of the 4.8 kilogram twins with the aid of a trained
"hilot".
The
surgical teams, led by Cebu-based pediatric surgeons Dr. Joseph
Alesna and Dr. Maribel Du together with the surgical teams
of GCGMH headed by Dr. Zaldy Buac, operated on Gabby and Rose
for just over 22 minutes after extensive preparations.
In
an interview with the Chronicle, the twin's neonatologist
Dr. Mutya Tirol-Macuno, said a CT-scan showing no major organs
that are shared between the two provided the doctors high
hopes for the success of the surgical procedure.
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The
surgery required doctors to cut-off soft tissue and
part of the twins' chest bone (sternum).
According
to Dr. Alesna and Dr. Du, both Gabby and Rose are expected
to live normal lifespans after the separation.
The
doctors observed that the twins' vital signs are stable
enough and they are closely monitoring their recovery.
The
pediatric surgeons are optimistic that both can be fed
normally in three to four days after the successful
operation while they stressed the importance to protect
them from infection and bleeding at this stage.
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Gabby
and Rose are now confined at the GCGMH Neo-natal Intensive
Care Unit.
KIND
DONORS
Upon
learning of the much needed medical surgery, kind hearted
listeners of dyRD immediately responded to a fund raising
drive launched during yesterday's Inyong Alagad program.
Dr.
Macuno's pronouncement that doctors were very hopeful for
the survival of the twins after surgery pledges for donations
were received by dyRD.
First
to respond was the Alturas Group which donated P10,000 cash.
The fund drive for the Siamese twins reached P16,500 as of
yesterday.
Other
donors include Edwin Rosario - Justicor P100; Mark Leo Monton
P300; Nimie Monton P200; Anonymous-Teh P200; Lorie Decion
- P100; Anonymous P200; Ramil Cagulada P200; Juric Store P200;
Anonymous P500; Teofy Silagan P500; Anonymous - Lamdgan P500;
Anonymous - JS Torralba P500; Anonymous P100; Bebeis Hair-Make-Up
Saloon - Lamdagan St. Cogon P200; Jerm Coco Lumber P200; Lyn
in Doy P100; TBN # 2 P200; bbg's Zapos P100; Demetria Armachuelo
P200; Anonymous P200; Balili P200; Angela, Densel, Dexter
Zaldivar P200; Bonie-Norma Halasan & Family P300; TBN
# 718/737 P300; KB P500; Anonymous LPS P200.
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