1/26/2004: Undeveloped conjoined twin

Conjoined twin, one-month-old Rebeca Martinez, lies in a hospital crib. Rebeca Martinez was born in mid-December at a hospital in Santo Domingo with the head of an undeveloped twin attached to the top of her skull, facing upward. The infant is otherwise healthy but her brain cannot develop normally unless the undeveloped head is removed, said Dr. Santiago Hazim, medical director at the CURE International Center for Orthopedic Specialties, where the surgery is tentatively set for February 6 or 7 in the Dominican Republic. The baby girl was born with one of the world's rarest birth defects, caused when a conjoined twin fails to develop in the womb.

wow. Nature is cruel sometimes. I hope the surgery is successful.

Well, I should think it would be easier than 2 live twins.

I wonder what life would have been like for that kid had her brains developed.

Incredibly smart? Social outcast (duh)? Truly bickering with herself? Really, really strong neck?

Do you think she'll want to be a school nurse when she grows up?

Did you ever notice how you only see these kinds of conjoined twins in third world countries? Think it has anything to do with the standard ultrasound tests done in first world countries and the widespread availability of abortion clinics?

I'm just going to pray that the procedure will turn out fine and little Rebeca will have no complications.

Aren't these the ones that just died? I saw on the news that they tried seperating a pair recently who both died. Maybe different ones though.

Quzah.

I don't know. I'll have to look into it. But I sure hope not! I kills me to even think that she didn't survive the procedure.

I'm a twin. I can't imagine being conjoined, but I can't imagine not being a twin either. I don't even want to even think about what life would be like without my sister. [shudder]

I just read in the paper today, sociologists claim the closest relationships are identical twins. More than mother/child, father/child, siblings, etc. I would imagine fraternal twins run a close second.

Out of my 2 brothers and 7 sisters (my father was a busy man) my twin sister is my favorit sibling. My mom only had me and my twin and another girl a year later. Dad of course, moved on.

Very sad. Though the "strong neck" comment made me think of this:

For those concerned that the surgery has already been tried, and that Rebeca has died, I did a little googling:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2791138a12,00.html

Seems they haven't attempted the surgery yet, they're going to try to do it next month (February)...

The original photo didn't show how developed the other "head" is. The operation is on Friday.

Why are they even attempting this operation?

Haven't they heard that two heads are better than one?

Or does that only apply to blowjobs?

I have read that when the kid is nursing, the mouth on the other head moves. Creepy.

The operation is over and the baby is doing very well. More to be found here.

"Is the head dead, yet?"

Since all is well with the survivor, we can start making jokes now, right?

"Did they have to use eightceps when you were born?"

Reminds Me of Chang, The Two Headed Man

I feel so bad. Rebeca is dead. I prayed for her but she still died.

::internal conflict rising:: ... must ... not ... post ... response ... calculated ... to ... make ... newbie ... question ... faith .....

Okay, here's what I read that was creepy - they needed to get the surgery done pretty fast because the other brain was growing faster then the one attached to the whole baby. I really hope neither child was very self aware (beyond the normal for a baby that is anyway).