An international team of doctors began a risky surgery on Friday to remove the second head of a girl from the Dominican Republic. The medical team, led by a surgeon based in Los Angeles, was expected to work for at least 13 hours on Rebeca Martinez. The surgery is highly sensitive because the two heads share blood vessels. However, doctors report that the operation is progressing without any issues. The girl was born in mid-December at a hospital in Santo Domingo with the head of a conjoined twin attached to the top of her skull. Aside from this, she appears healthy, but without the removal of the second head, her brain will not be able to grow normally. This condition is extremely rare, with only eight cases recorded worldwide. Doctors say if the surgery goes well, Rebeca will not need physical therapy and will grow up as a normal child.
Surgery to Remove Second Head of a Girl from the Dominican Republic - 2004-02-07
An international medical team is performing a complex surgery to remove the second head of Rebeca Martinez, a girl from the Dominican Republic, which is crucial for her normal brain development. The surgery is expected to last at least 13 hours and is significant due to the rarity of her condition.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
An international team of doctors began a complex surgery to remove the second head of Rebeca Martinez, a girl from the Dominican Republic, to ensure her normal brain development.
- The surgery is expected to last at least 13 hours.
- Rebeca was born with a conjoined twin head, a condition that is extremely rare.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Conjoined twins are a rare phenomenon, and successful separation surgeries are complex and risky, often requiring international collaboration.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%