Conjoined twins Maria and Teresa Tapia said faring well
(CBS) The newly separated conjoined twins are in "good condition." That's the word from a spokesperson at Children's Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University, where the incredible procedure was performed.
PICTURES: Conjoined twins separated in 20-hour surgery
"The twins are in good condition and remain in the pediatric ICU," Malorie Burkett, hospital spokesperson told CBS News Wednesday afternoon. "We are pleased with their progress."
Nineteen-month-old conjoined twins Maria and Teresa Tapia were separated after a 20-hour procedure that started Monday morning.
The girls, who hail from the Dominican Republic were joined at the abdomen, and shared a liver, pancreas, and a part of their small intestine.
It took a team of 45 pediatric surgeons and specialists at the hospital to perform the operation, led by surgeon-in-chief Dr. David Lanning, CBS News reported.
"Everybody along the way really did an amazing job, anesthesia, operating room nursing staff, intensives, the intra-operative nurses, all the surgeons, Dr.[Jennifer] Rhodes and the plastic surgery team," Lanning told CBS affiliate WTVR in Richmond. "You know it was an amazing - I think - execution of a plan, some of which was on the fly."
Even students from other departments chipped in: Fashion students created outfits for the girls, while sculpture students developed molds of the twins to give Dr. Rhodes' plastic surgery team practice.
"It's made me very proud to be part of this organization to see everybody rise to the occasion and deliver the care with such a high level of expertise and in a compassionate way," Lanning said in a VCU written statement.
The surgery wouldn't come easy. Because the twins were connected at a part of their small intestine, Maria was about 20 percent smaller because she wasn't getting enough nutritional benefits she needed, Lanning said in the statement. Another obstacle: Maria's blood flow was inadequate because of an abnormal vein that attached to their shared liver. No matter how much Maria ate, Teresa got the bulk of the nutrients.
But the doctors overcame those hurdles and the massive undertaking was a success. Lanning expects the girls to lead healthy lives.
"One of the things that is encouraging for us is that there's such a high potential for them to be functioning, freely mobile, very active individual girls," Lanning said in the statement. "Once we feel like they're medically stable, and think that it's safe, we'll try to get them potentially in the same room and near each other for their sake and for mom's sake."
Click below to see pictures of the girls.