Conjoined Twins Finally Look At Each Other After Mammoth 27-Hour Surgery

Until just a few weeks ago, 14-month-old twins Jadon and Anias had spent every waking moment together, literally. But, they had never seen each other.

The twins were born conjoined at the crown of the head, a condition known as craniopagus twins. In October, the youngsters were successfully separated after a complex and difficult 27-hour operation at Montefiore Hospital. Just one month later, after an incredible recovery, they have finally had a chance to look each other in the eye.

image via Facebook/Christine Pogliano Grosso

Jason and Anias will soon be moved to a rehabilitation centre, just six weeks after their operation. If all goes to plan, theirs will be the fastest recovery for the separation of twins conjoined at the heads, speeding past the last record of eight weeks.

Jadon is certainly ready to go. He is more active and energetic following the surgery, pulling at his bandages and ready to play. Brother Anias was struggling before the operation, and unfortunately continues to have some issues. He has contracted viruses and infections, but his doctors are confident he’ll pull through.

The man behind the surgery, Dr Philip Goodrich, said he felt that Jadon was a force of energy for Anias in his recovery, and he felt to two should be kept together as much as possible.

The Twins’ Journey

The journey of Jadon and Anias started in September of last year, when they were born by caesarean section near Chicago, Illinois. Their parents, Nicole and Christian, felt that the boys were absolutely perfect as they were, but it was necessary for them to be separated so they could live a normal life. So, they went to Montefiore Hospital in New York so one of the leading surgeons in the field could undertake the operation.

“This is so hard. I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” Nicole said prior to the operation.

Based on statistics about twins like Jadon and Anias, it’s incredible the duo survived to 13 months at all. Around 40% of craniopagus twins are stillborn, of those that are now, around one third die in 24 hours. If they live past their first day, there’s an 80% risk that they will die before the age of two if they aren’t separated. It was a risk that their parents were not willing to take.

Still, separation is not the end of their journey. There will likely be developmental complications in one or both twins, but their parents are taking it day by day. Nicole in particular was ecstatic recently at the opportunity to hold Jadon. It was the first time she had done so his entire life.

So, for Jadon and Anias success looks to be in the future, but costs were steep. As well as the risk to the boys, there was the financial burden. All up the operation came in at an enormous US$2.5 million, and there are many other associated costs. A GoFundMe page has been set up by the family to help them deal with this.