Separated Twin Girls to Spend the Holidays in U.S.
The formerly conjoined twins who were separated in a marathon operation at UCLA will probably not return home to Guatemala in time for Christmas, hospital officials said Monday.
The 16-month-old twins, Maria de Jesus and Maria Teresa Quiej Alvarez, have had their return date pushed back several times since the operation in August to separate them at the skull.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. Dec. 18, 2002 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday December 18, 2002 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 16 inches; 595 words Type of Material: Correction
Separated twins -- An article and headline in Tuesday’s California section incorrectly stated the reason for a delay in the return of two formerly conjoined twins to Guatemala. The article and headline said that the recovery from surgery for one of the twins was taking longer than expected. According to UCLA’s Mattel Children’s Hospital, both twins have recovered from the surgery to separate them, but medical authorities in Guatemala have asked for additional time to prepare for their return.
The hospital is aiming for them to return home to continue their recovery in a Guatemala City hospital in early January, which means the twins will probably spend Christmas and New Year’s at UCLA’s Mattel Children’s Hospital.
“We still do not have a date,” spokeswoman Roxanne Moster said.
The twins’ plastic surgeon, Dr. Henry Kawamoto, suggested last month that they might be home for the holidays. But the hospital announced in late November that Maria de Jesus’ scalp wound from surgery was taking more time than expected to heal. Surgeons used skin grafts to cover the girls’ exposed brain tissue.
Although tests on the other twin, Maria Teresa, have shown that she is hearing-impaired in one ear, officials said the twins are recovering steadily.
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