Michigan Medicine teams separate conjoined twins at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital

1 year-old sisters born attached at the chest and abdomen undergo complex 11-hour surgery involving more than two dozen specialists and the aid of 3D printed models.

Author | Beata Mostafavi

Michigan Medicine teamshave successfully separated one-year-old conjoined twins at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

The nearly 11-hour surgery, which is the first of its kind at Mott and believed to be the first in the state of Michigan, involved a team of more than two dozen doctors, nurses and other specialists who spent months preparing for the complex procedure.

The twins, Sarabeth and Amelia Irwin, were connected from their chests to belly buttons. Each girl was born with two arms and two legs, individual hearts and digestive tracts, but their livers were connected.

“For everyone in the room, it was a very emotional and extraordinary moment when the last incision was made to separate these girls from one to two,” says George Mychaliska, M.D., pediatric and fetal surgeon at Mott.

“This was a monumental team effort that involved virtually every clinical department here and a group that was incredibly committed to collaborating in the most innovative way.”

Multiple teams across many specialties were involved with coordinating the separation surgery, each playing a unique role from pre-operative to post-operative care. Mychaliska led the surgical team, along with pediatric plastic surgeon Steven Kasten, M.D.and pediatric heart surgeon Richard Ohye, M.D.

Read Amelia and Sarabeth's full story and see photos on the Michigan Health Blog.

Watch the video from the surgery on the Michigan Medicine YouTube channel.

Media Contact Public Relations

Department of Communication at Michigan Medicine

[email protected]

734-764-2220

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