On the afternoon of October 2, Children’s Hospital 2 in Los Angeles reported that after over a month of surgical procedures to separate the conjoined twins, one-year-old girls Lily Anderson and Emma Smith, residents of Orange County, are set to leave the hospital this weekend.

According to Dr. David Johnson, Deputy Director of Children’s Hospital 2, the incisions on the two children have successfully healed, and their overall health is now completely stable. “The success of this intricate surgery can be attributed to the amalgamation of expert experience, the proficient skills of the directly and indirectly involved medical staff, and the application of cutting-edge surgical technology,” informed Dr. Johnson.

Born via caesarean section at 33 weeks, both Lily and Emma weighed 3.4 kg at birth and have now reached 12 kg. They were conjoined in the lumbar region, sharing the same stump and having an anorectal fistula. Lily presented additional conditions such as 5 right rib aplasia, right hip dislocation, stiff knee, and a dislocated right ankle; meanwhile, Emma exhibited no other malformations.

The separation surgery commenced on August 23, involving a surgical team comprising 20 medical professionals, including plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons, gastroenterologists, anesthetists, and resuscitation experts. After more than 11 hours of surgery, the medical team successfully separated the twins, addressing complex issues such as dural patching, skin grafts, shaping digestive structures, and reconstructing blood vessels for the most severely affected baby.