Abby and Belle Carlson...AMAZING!

[Sassy]

Doctors separate conjoined twin girls
Five-month-olds from North Dakota were connected at abdomen, chest



Updated: 7:25 p.m. ET May 12, 2006
ROCHESTER, Minn. - Mayo Clinic surgeons separated 5-month-old twins born joined at the chest and abdomen, continuing the delicate and lengthy operation Friday night.

The last tissue connecting little Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen was cut about 4:30 p.m., and doctors moved on to reconstructive surgery expected to take several more hours.

Mayo Clinic spokesman Lee Aase said Isabelle was moved to a separate table in the operating room where surgeons were reconstructing her abdomen and closing up the surgical wound. He did not give any specific information about Abbigail.

“The family is elated,” he said, saying that they were happy to have separate babies.

The girls’ livers were intertwined and they also were joined at the diaphragm and the pancreas, and shared part of an intestine.

Doctors said that the surgery was complicated but that there was a 90 percent to 95 percent chance that both girls would survive.

“We wouldn’t be going ahead if we weren’t confident that there was a good chance for a good outcome,” Dr. Christopher Moir, a pediatric surgeon heading the medical team said last month. “But these little girls, unfortunately, have a very complex conjoined system.”

Listening to the press conference now...the surgery went very well...

[STBumpkin]

Amazing what medicine is doing today. I wonder if they shared any organs?

[Sassy]

What a Mother's Day Present!
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060512/060511_twins_vmed_9a.widec.jpg

[Sassy]

My understanding was they had two hearts...on top of each other...liver's were starting to adhere together and they weren't sure if they had enough intestine to divide between them to have a normal life. But everything went very well. They are on respirators and asleep in ICU.

[Sassy]

Carlsen Twins Separated May 12


See an animated illustration of the Carlsen twins' anatomy, portraying how organs are connected.



View more images of Abbigail and Isabelle.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/carlsen-twins/gallery.html



A live webcast of the Carlsen's news conference will be at 8:30 p.m. CST, Friday evening.

Update: 05/12/2006 5:45 p.m.
The Carlsen twins were separated at 4:28 p.m. and placed in separate beds at 4:44 p.m.

Update: 05/12/2006 5:15 p.m.
At 4:28 p.m. the remaining tissue connecting Abbigail and Isabelle was cut, for the first time completely separating the conjoined twins. Isabelle has been moved to a separate OR table where the plastic surgeons will perform abdominal reconstruction and skin closure. We expect the procedures to be completed in the next few hours. A news conference will be held this evening at 8:30 p.m. CST, at which time the surgical team leaders will provide details of today's events.

Update: 05/12/2006 4:10 p.m.
The girls' livers are now separated, as are their pancreases and all other major organs. Enough intestinal tissue is available for each girl. That was one of the unanswered questions prior to surgery.

Bowel reconstruction for Isabelle -- who retains the common bile duct -- is complete. Abbigail's bowel and biliary reconstruction is under way.

Update: 05/12/2006 1:50 p.m.
The twins' gall bladders have been removed, as part of the planned procedure, as drainage for them will be rerouted. Surgeons have begun liver separation, including the meticulous identification of vascular and biliary structures of the liver. The twins' conditions remain stable.

Update: 05/12/2006 11:54 a.m.
The first incision was made at 9:44 a.m. The chest walls have been separated, confirming that there are two separate hearts. Isabelle's blood pressure remained stable as her heart was maneuvered into her chest wall cavity.

The second part of the separation -- involving the diaphragms and liver -- has begun.

Update: 05/12/2006 8:10 a.m.
This is the first in a series of daylong updates from Mayo Clinic on the progress of the separation of Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen at Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital in Rochester, Minn.

As of 8:10 a.m. -- anesthesia has been administered to both girls, IV lines are being placed and the twins are being prepped for surgery which should begin at approximately 8:40 a.m.

Update: 05/08/2006
Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen, conjoined twin daughters of Jesse and Amy Carlsen of Fargo, North Dakota, are scheduled to be separated on Friday, May 12 at Mayo Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital in Rochester, Minn.

A 70-member Mayo Clinic team has cared for Abby and Belle since February 24, studying their anatomy in detail and preparing them for separation. On May 12, a team of 30, including 18 surgeons from various specialties, will be participating in the operation.

This page will have progress reports throughout the day on May 12, and a webcast of the post-surgery news conference that evening, which is tentatively scheduled for 8 p.m. CT. Check back here for updates.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/carlsen-twins/images/08-lg.jpg

[Sassy]

http://www.mayoclinic.org/carlsen-twins/video.html

[missingnumber7]

I met these two about a month before i came down to Missouri...they are a very interesting couple.

[gunns]

Oh those poor parents having to go through that. Sounds like it may have a happy ending though. It's amazing what they can do. They are so cute.

[Sassy]

They just said on local news that the medical team that was with the girls at 5 am are still with them tonight. Awesome!

[Sassy]

http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/viewJournal.do?method=executeInit

[Sassy]

http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/photos/abbybelle/large/eb017e10a728bb1188ea.jpg

[Blueflame]

Amazing story... thanks for posting it, Sass. The story made the local news here last night, too.... but I'm sure it's covered more thoroughly in your area. :)

[Sassy]

Update: 05/14/2006
Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen remain in the ICU this morning with breathing assistance from ventilators. Their vital signs continue to improve, and the care team is continuing to monitor them closely with standard tests related to the post-operative healing process.

"Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers who feel like Abby and Belle have become their own. Thank you for your continued prayers and support." -- Amy and Jesse Carlsen

Update: 05/13/2006
Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen are doing well this morning after an uneventful night. They remain in intensive care under sedation, as planned, breathing with assistance of ventilators, and their vital signs are stable. We will continue to closely monitor their conditions. Their parents have remained at their bedside through the night.

Jesse and Amy Carlsen said, "Thank you for your support and prayers. It's amazing how our girls have touched so many people's lives. We are grateful for the outstanding medical care our daughters are receiving and for the team we are lucky enough to have."

[heydensmom]

Wow that pulls at the heart strings

[ludo21]

Story finally broke the local news here last night, truly amazing!

I used to live in Rochester, MN.

[youcandoit1687]

i just watched a video in biology about some thai girls conjoined at the hip and sharing a leg along with a kidney, rectum, and some other goodies. it was from back in like 1993, the amazing part was that they were three years old when they did. as far as i knew they are fine but both ended up with just one leg

[Sassy]

Update: 05/16/2006
Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen's vital signs continue to improve, and all organ systems are functioning well. Concerns about the position of Isabelle's heart have diminished. Ventilators have been removed and they slept through the night, with oxygen support.

Update: 05/15/2006
Carlsen Twins Condition Upgraded to Serious
Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen continue to show steady improvement. They had a very good night with vital signs improving, and their conditions have been upgraded from Critical to Serious. As the care team continues to closely monitor their progress, the girls are right on course as expected and hoped, with tests showing continued healing

[gunns]

Update: 05/16/2006
Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen's vital signs continue to improve, and all organ systems are functioning well. Concerns about the position of Isabelle's heart have diminished. Ventilators have been removed and they slept through the night, with oxygen support.

Isn't that every parents dream, for them to sleep through the night? Glad to hear they are doing well. The parents must be estatic

[Sassy]

I know I keep bumping this...but it's a fascinating story with a positive end so far!

[Sassy]

This is what dad wrote in the online journal:


Hello everybody. Wow! The last three days have flown bye. Thank you all for your continued support. Heres a breakdown of the last few days..

Over the weekend Abby and Belle were sedated but the Dr's said they were right on track as far as recovery. We had some small bumps in the road. Belle had some excessive swelling so Dr's gave her an ultrasound to check if pushing her heart back pinched any circulation. It looked great, everything was the way it should be. Abby had some bile leaking. If the leak was bad, surgeons were prepared to go back to the operating room. She was taken to radiology and it showed only 5% was leaking. Dr's said that should heal on its own but they would watch her closely.

Monday morning Abby had her breathing tube removed and she woke-up. She looked sleepy and didn't open her eyes all the way but Amy and I did notice that she recognised us and calmed down when we talked to her. We both got to hold Abby!! It was great. We both felt like new parents again because we got to hold our baby like we were ment to. Belle also had her breathing tube removed. They both still don't have there full voices back but the whole floor will know when they do.

Today the girls were moved down to the pediatric ICU. When we got down there we got to hold Belle for the first time. I love my girls so much but theres something about holding them that makes my heart melt and I can feel my heart racing. I know Amy feels the same way. We had a nice hour today where Amy rocked Abby and I rocked Belle with no interuptions. It was a small glimpse of the near future at home. Here's some big news, Belle and Abby were both awake and tonight we put them back in the same bed, only for an hour. It was so exciting. At first they cried a little, but after a few minutes they settled down and looked at each other. They definately have a calming affect on each other. Earlier today I saw Belle looking around and I felt she was looking for her sister. So I pushed the nurses a little to get Abby and Belle together tonight. It was worth it!!! They fell asleep after 15 minutes.

If you want to know this Wednesday we should be on the Today show and this Sunday the Dateline program should air our story if we dont get bumped back on both.

[Sassy]

Belle
http://www.mayoclinic.org/carlsen-twins/images/41-lg.jpg

[Sassy]

Abby

http://www.mayoclinic.org/carlsen-twins/images/42-lg.jpg

[Sassy]

http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/photos/abbybelle/large/eb017e10a728bb1181131.jpg

[Sassy]

http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/photos/abbybelle/large/eb017e10a728bb1181130.jpg