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Bid to separate conjoined twins Conjoined twins op 'going well'
(about 4 hours later)
Doctors in Australia are still hopeful of success in a delicate operation to separate conjoined twins. Doctors in Australia say a marathon operation to separate conjoined twins is going very well.
Bangladeshi twins Trishna and Krishna, who are nearly three years old, are joined at the top of the head.Bangladeshi twins Trishna and Krishna, who are nearly three years old, are joined at the top of the head.
The operation began at 2300GMT on Sunday and has been continuing for longer than the anticipated 16 hours. The operation began at 2300GMT on Sunday and was still continuing after more than 24 hours.
The 16-strong team of surgeons and nurses are still separating the girls' brains which a hospital spokesman said was "slow, meticulous work". The 16-strong team has almost completely separated the girls' brains which a hospital spokesman said was "slow, meticulous work".
Anaesthetist Dr Ian McKenzie told ABC News Australia that, even if the operation was completed successfully, it would be several days before they knew whether the girls would pull through. Anaesthetist Dr Ian McKenzie told Associated Press news agency on Tuesday the condition of the girls was improving as their bodies began to work more individually.
"If you think of how they're joined, there's quite a big gap to cover so that's why we've got the cranial-facial plastic surgery team and we'll be operating for quite a few hours after they're separated," he said. "It's going very well so far," he told reporters. "The twins are actually in better condition because the degree of separation has increased."
ABC News Australia reported that most of the actual brain tissue has now been disconnected.
The girls were close to death when they arrived in Australia two years ago and they have already had several preparatory operations.The girls were close to death when they arrived in Australia two years ago and they have already had several preparatory operations.
They were flown to Australia by the Children First Foundation, because of the poor survival rates after similar operations in Bangladesh.They were flown to Australia by the Children First Foundation, because of the poor survival rates after similar operations in Bangladesh.
However, doctors say the chance of a successful separation is still only one in four. They estimate there is a 25% chance one of the sisters will die, and a 50% chance the girls will suffer brain damage. However, doctors say the chance of a successful separation is still one in four.
They estimate there is a 25% chance one of the sisters will die, and a 50% chance the girls will suffer brain damage.