Surgery Separates Conjoined Twins

(CBS)  Conjoined twins have been separated in Phoenix.

Alex and Angel Mendoza were born in August joined from the sternum to the pelvis, and shared a liver.

Early Show correspondent Debbye Turner Bell was at Children's Hospital during the 14-hour operation, which involved 19 medical professionals.

The separation of the twins was, Turner says, an amazing journey.

And The Early Show was there as it all unfolded:



Four hours into the surgery, lead surgeon Dr. Stuart Lacey announced in the operating room, "We have divided the liver."

"My stomach just dropped, like, 'Oh, my gosh!," ' the twins' mother, Ashley Frank, told Bell.

Nine hours in, Lacey made what he called "the last cut" separating Angel and Angel.

Lacey announced to Frank, "Your two, separate little boys are doing fine. They're both on their backs at the same time for the first time ever."

Staffers, who'd become like family to the twins, were embracing warmly after the surgery.

Turner says Lacey told her Friday morning the twins are "doing great," but still have several operations ahead of them: "They have to see how what they did heals and develops."

[judyinsc]

It amazes me that some people have such little regard for God that He is always blamed for everything. Perhaps He too should be blamed for murder if you take it to mean that EVERYTHING is the will of God. If perhaps one read the Bible you would know that God is a God of lovingkindness and that He doesn''t want suffering but suffering started with man''s willful sin against God, way back in the Garden of Eden. These precious boys have a new chance at life and I for one rejoice that the doctor''s were able to help. The skills of the surgeons were definintely a gift of God because they were used to the ultimate good of others.

[brainteaser2]

Delivery must be by c-section. Vaginal delivery of conjoined twins is not physically possible.

[superdem]

It amazes me that this story about a clear random incident of nature brings out the religious lamebrains who attribute every event to some divine santa claus. What kind of God would allow this imperfection to occur ? For what reason ? Oh, to build character, of course. Highly educated human beings, called "doctors" saved the day, not God. Or maybe they defied the "will" of God ?

[fharmd]

Indeed they are in for a lot of cuts and patches through out their life. A pity they nave to go through all this just to enjoy the free gift of life. Hope their parents will learn to trust God from this experience

[fharmd]

their delivery if not assissted (CS) was also a miracle, but the question is did God make them that way or are they ALIENS?

[fharmd]

indeed this is a miracle and lesson that God is alive

[edamos54]

To msay3 - you''re absolutely right. This separation
is as much a miracle as the US Airways landing yester-
day on the Hudson River. Both Divine miracles.

[msay3]

Isn''t it interesting that this miraculous story doesn''t have one posting, yet all of the political *** draws so many garbage mongers....Truly amazing!!!!