February 20, 2009

Conjoined twins separated by surgical team at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC

The twins were conjoined from the breast bone to the groin

A multidisciplinary team of surgeons, pediatricians, and nurses at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC has successfully separated conjoined twins during a 24-hour procedure. The 2-year-old twin girls — Dagian and Danielle Lee, of Cleveland — were separated during a procedure that began at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008, and ended 24 hours later. The girls currently are recovering well at Children’s Hospital.

The team that separated Dagian and Danielle was led by Joseph E. Losee, MD, chief of the Division of Pediatric Plastic Surgery at Children’s Hospital. He orchestrated more than 50 physicians and nurses who were involved with either the Lees’ preoperative care or the surgery itself.

“This complex separation was the culmination of 18 months of preparation and planning. The surgery itself went extremely well and we’re very optimistic that Dagian and Danielle will continue their strong recovery,” Dr. Losee said.

To read the entire news release or to learn more about the physicians involved in the procedure, visit the Press Room page on  www.chp.edu.

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