I am sad to report that conjoined twin Faith Williams lost her fight yesterday, just 23 days after the death of her sister.
Faith and sister Hope were joined at the chest when they were born on 26 November. Hope died in an operation to separate them on 2 December.
Great Ormond Street Hospital said it was a sad but not unexpected outcome.
A hospital spokesman said: “We were always clear that Faith was very sick.
“She required the full range of skills of our intensive care staff, and underwent a number of further procedures. However, she succumbed to the complexities of her condition.”
Faith underwent surgery earlier this month to assist with her circulation.
A spokeswoman for the hospital said: “The aim was to ensure more blood flowed to her body and less through her lungs.”
When Faith and Hope were born they weighed 4.8kg (10.5lb). They were joined from the breastbone to the top of the navel and had a shared liver but separate hearts.
Hope did not survive because her lungs were too small to support her breathing.
Conjoined twins are rare and take place at the rate of about one in 400,000 live births.
Separating a pair involves an intricate operation and success is heavily dependent on which vital organs are shared.
Great Ormond Street, where the surgery on Faith and Hope was carried out, is the most experienced centre in Europe for separating conjoined twins.
- Conjoined Twin Looses Fight After Separation Surgery
- UK Teen Welcomes Conjoined Girls
- Arizona Couple Welcomes Conjoined Twins
- Groundbreaking Conjoined Separation Successful
