Conjoined twin dies in hospital

One of the conjoined twins separated at Great Ormond Street Hospital has died.

Hope Williams - whose sister Faith is said to be in a stable condition - died because her lungs failed her, Professor Agostino Pierro said.

Laura Williams, 18, from Shrewsbury, gave birth to the girls at the London hospital on 26 November.

The twins, who were joined at the chest and shared a liver but had separate hearts, underwent an operation to separate them on Tuesday.

Mrs Williams and her husband Aled, from Anglesey, were with Hope when she died.

Professor Pierro, head of the surgical team which operated on the girls, said Faith needed support for her breathing but was gradually improving.

The team continued to operate on Faith after Hope's death and the whole procedure took about 11 hours.

Faith will need further surgery to close her stomach and is in intensive care.

Professor Agostino Pierro: 'The operation was very challenging'

The hospital had wanted to wait until the twins were stronger before carrying out the operation, but it was brought forward after their health gave cause for concern.

Professor Pierro said: "This was an emergency operation because there was a blockage in their joined intestine which could only be resolved through separation.

"The technical separation worked well, although it was extremely challenging, and went according to plan."

He added he was sorry for Mr and Mrs Williams' loss.

"The parents are coping extremely well and I am grateful to them for their support," he said.

More than 20 staff were involved in the operation and Professor Pierro said it was one of the most challenging and complex he, and hospital staff, had ever faced.

"We separated the babies and unfortunately, after separation of the babies, Hope's lungs were too small to support her breathing and circulation.

"So eventually she died because of a lung condition and in reality what happened before is that the lungs of Faith were somehow supporting Hope," he said.

Staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital are considered to be among the most experienced in Europe in separating conjoined twins.

Mrs Williams made medical history by becoming the world's youngest mother of conjoined twins.


Original article here