India - Baby Having 2 Heads Born - Seriously

[SeekingJana]

I've read that they are planning to do surgery. Not sure what surgery they are planning to do. If they wanted to remove one head, who decides which child gets to live and which gets to die? Even if you ignore ethical issues, this type of surgery has not been done before. I am sure it's not easy to remove a head. We are talking about a surgery on a spine after all.

Either they attempt to reconstruct one whole human being, or both parts will die naturally of heart failure. One heart cannot perfuse 2 brains and partial sets of organs for very long in a neonatal situation.

The resultant child might have some nerve deficits or even paralysis but at this point, could possibly retain cognitive function after surgery ( if there is a whole brain within each cranium, which we do not know).

 

[K_Z]

With each twin having a separate spine and spinal cord, each twin controls one vertical half of the body (one arm and one leg on the same side), similar to the Hensel twins. If doctors were to remove one "head", it seems likely the remaining twin would be paralyzed on the opposite side. That is, if one twin could even survive the procedure to remove one of the heads.

Sadly, I don't think these babies can survive. One heart can't support 2 heads for very long without going into failure.

 

[K_Z]

New pictures at link. (Including xrays, and video-- impressive, but sad.)

The conjoined twins born with one body and two heads have been moved to one of India’s top hospitals for further examination, but the mother has yet to meet her children.

And while one baby is sleeping, one is crying, but the right-hand side of the body so far is growing much stronger.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wor...-body-2-heads-article-1.1723352#ixzz2wBtRQ69w

 

[forthelost]

In this case, there isn't really a way to "seperate" them since the infants are so closely connected. Removing one head and spine could lead to all sorts of potential problems in the surviving infant.

 

[mysteriew]

What is the rate of cojoined twins in India? It seems to me that this happens more often there than anywhere else. And it seems to usually happen to the poorer class.

 

[txsvicki]

They can't hook up an artificial heart for now? Such sweet little faces. Even attached, they're just two infants. I hope their Mother sees them soon even though it's a horrible situation. If I were in that situation though, after seeing them, there would be no way to choose to let one die even if one was stronger. No way at all.

 

[txsvicki]

Double posting, but after reading a link again the doctor was quoted as saying that a twin or female was born having an extra head. Not trying to start controversy, but wonder if doctors are telling parents that there is only one child. If so, that seems sort of in reverse of recent life discussions. Life is supposedly determined by the brain and the babies aren't sharing a brain are they? They each have a spine, head area, and esophagus. The heart is supposedly just a mechanical thing that can work a long time to keep a brain dead body going, but one baby doesn't have her own heart in this case so I'm worried she will be determined not a separate life by doctors.

 

[SeekingJana]

Personally, I'm not sure the doctors or family are wrong. One heart equals one living body.

Artificial heart? Please remember that this is a family so poor that the woman couldn't get an ultrasound in pregnancy.
Also, artificial hearts in neonates have never been successful due to the tiny chest cavity. Plus, this child ( or these children) does not seem to have 2 sets of great vessels to hook a second heart, artificial or human heart, up to.

There are 2 nervous systems, and I doubt seriously that the second vestige of a twin can be removed.
IOW, I don't think there is any hope for long term survival because of the presence of two central nervous systems and the lack of a second heart.

This is as close to a true parasitic twin as possible. Part of the second twin is inside the first, and the parts include the vital organ, the heart.

Also, intensive and almost unprecedented surgery to do this kind of separation would require enormous support of the parents in the very long rehabilitation period. The parents have not come to terms with the baby or babies they have birthed. Without their extreme involvement, I don't see how any medical center would undertake any type of procedure to help the babies. They ( or just she) is going to need a lot of care for a long time IF surgery was attempted and happened to be successful, which I doubt.

This is almost a circus sideshow and I do not think those photos should ever have made it to the Internet. The world does not need to know about an accident of nature such as this in the year 2014. We all know this happens, tragically, as do other malformations in fetal development.

 

[jjenny]

Even if she could afford an ultrasound, the only thing that could have been done is abortion.
I agree that artificial heart is not a possibility here. The separation is not possible either due to lack of organs to support two children.

 

[K_Z]

This is almost a circus sideshow and I do not think those photos should ever have made it to the Internet. The world does not need to know about an accident of nature such as this in the year 2014. We all know this happens, tragically, as do other malformations in fetal development.

(Respectfully snipped)

I agree that it is sad that these pictures and video have been made so public. It's clear that our American ideas about patient privacy, etc, are not shared by all cultures.

I do think it is possible for medical professionals to reach out to other medical professionals in different countries for advice and consultation as to how to proceed, without making a voyeuristic spectacle of the babies and family.

It's a very sad situation all around. These babies are far more compromised than the Hensel twins. I think it's nearly impossible that they can survive for very long.

 

[MsFacetious]

They can't hook up an artificial heart for now? Such sweet little faces. Even attached, they're just two infants. I hope their Mother sees them soon even though it's a horrible situation. If I were in that situation though, after seeing them, there would be no way to choose to let one die even if one was stronger. No way at all.

I agree.
There is ZERO doubt in my mind that I would enjoy the time with both babies and then allow them to pass away together.
They are TWINS. I wouldn't separate twins anyway... but conjoined twins is an entirely different thing.
If there was a chance at separating them I would consider it.
But I could never kill one child to save the other. I just could not. :twocents:

I think it's ridiculous this mother hasn't seen her babies yet.
They have limited time and she should be allowed to spend that time with them. :twocents:

 

[mysteriew]

I'm not positive of the parents situation here. But I wouldn't jump to conclusions too quickly.

First the mother just gave birth, then the children were rushed away for specialized care. Aren't they in a different hospital?

Did she have a C section- that could make her hospital stay longer and limit her ability to travel. They are of lower income class, do they have transportation and/or the funds to travel to the hospital? Also there are emotional issues. If this happened here the parents would have had months to start coming to terms with the reality of cojoined twins. Instead this couple who were having a baby, instead found out they were parents of cojoined twins. And they have serious issues and medical needs. Not at all what the parents were expecting and I would think would take some time to accept.

There are also a lot of cultural issues at work too. Somestimes superstitions, blame for one or both parents that they must have done "something" wrong.

 

[jjenny]

I am guessing she had to have had a c-section. Otherwise, how would a baby with two heads come out?

 

[K_Z]

I am guessing she had to have had a c-section. Otherwise, how would a baby with two heads come out?

Yes, correct. Born by C-section.

Twins born last week in northern India via C-section weighing 7lbs 7oz

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...s-born-shocked-meet-babies.html#ixzz2wHdhQCWS
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[MissJ]

Just so sad. For everyone involved.

 

[watcher9]

Sadly, a search on the internet will reveal more cases like this.

Prayers for the babies and their parents.

 

[Sonya610]

Regarding the mother not seeing the infants...remember this is INDIA and they are very different culturally. It is not uncommon for the mother to be blamed if a child is born with birth defects as people suspect their is something wrong with her, likewise entire families face scrutiny if others find out they have disabled children, folks are afraid to mingle or marry off relatives to that family.

Birth defects have gendered consequences, as mothers may be deserted, stigmatized or blamed for the birth of the child.
–
Birth defects raise social issues, as often a child with a disability or chronic illness may result in stigmatization of the family. Social life of the family may be affected.

http://www.unipune.ac.in/snc/school_of_health_sciences/pdf/Pune Public Health Conference.pdf

 

[SeekingJana]

Apparently, India's media has gone silent on the subject of the conjoined twins. IDK if they are still alive or not.

Please be careful if you search the news sites online with the keywords or the mother's name. I got redirected to an Indian website that pretty much shut my PC down and I have full AV, firewall, everything.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Indian conjoined twins born with two heads and one body die at 20 days old - before their mother met them

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...one-body-die-20-days-old-mother-met-them.html

 

[Elley Mae]

You know when I saw the pic I thought it looked more like one person that had two heads. I didn't see conjoined twins, if you will. I am not going to search for info, Thank you SeekingJana for that information. But I do wonder if they were, how shall I say... euthanized. So Sad.