TRISH BEAVER, Cape Town | Sunday
MATRON Gail Darvel of the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town said on Sunday that the Kona siamese twins, Zinzi and Zanele who were separated in a marathon 20-hour operation on Thursday were making good progress.
The twins were born with legs splayed out at a 180-degree angle and fused spines and also shared a bladder, an anus and the lower part of the rectum.
Darvel said although the twins were still being ventilated by oxygen machines, the ICU staff were weaning them, so that they could soon breathe unassisted.
She said: ”We are also hoping to start feeding them solid food soon, because although they are being fed intravenously, there is nothing like good nutritious food.
She said: ”The surgical team are very happy with the twins’ progress and our main aim is to keep the wounds sterile and infection free.
”They are still being kept in the ICU ward, but we are hoping to move them back to the normal ward in a couple of days.”
Darvel said that the twins’ mother, Nomsa, had been staying at the hospital and had been visiting her children.
”The past few days have obviously been stressful to her, and she is alone. Her family and support system are in Port Elizabeth, but on the whole she is very pleased at the results.
”She has decided not to talk to the media until the twins are out of danger and we have respected her wishes.
”Before the operation she was given intensive counselling by a team of professionals on what to expect and how to cope. In these very complex procedures there is always the possibility that something can go wrong. But she was encouraged to focus on the positive.”
Darvel said the condition of the four-month-old girls would be constantly monitored by the surgical team for the next few weeks.
”The worst is over, from now on, they will probably undergo minor operations to make their lives as normal as possible.”
Medical specialists believe that the girls will probably walk normally and be able to have children of their own one day.
The estimated cost of the operation is R100 000 which will be covered by the State. – Sapa