Doctors Separate Twins in 18-Hour Surgery

For 18 hours beginning yesterday, Chileans were captivated by the fate of 10-month-old conjoined twins Maria Paz and Maria Jose. The AP reports that the country widely followed the marathon surgery to separate the girls, via both television and Internet. And the outcome thus far seems a happy one: Though the pair lost a lot of blood while being separated at the thorax, stomach, and pelvis, the chief surgeon reports that they emerged from the surgery "in good condition."

The girls posed a particular challenge: They shared a urinary tract system, along with many internal organs. About 100 people participated in the operation—the seventh the twins have undergone—including 25 surgeons and anesthesiologists. Earlier this year, doctors separated the twins' legs, urinary tracts, pulmonary systems, and other parts of their bodies. (More conjoined twins stories.)