Doctors separated conjoined twins who were joined at the chest: here’s what they look like 3 years later
For years, the Bateson family in Northern Ireland hoped for a child. After fertility treatment, they learned they were expecting twin daughters. Their joy was soon met with a profound challenge when an ultrasound revealed the girls were conjoined.
Annabelle and Isabelle were fused from the chest down to the pelvis, sharing a liver, intestines, bladder, and one leg. Each had her own separate leg and heart. The complex connection left surgeons uncertain if a safe separation was possible.
The twins were born in London in March 2022 and quickly transferred to a leading children’s hospital. A specialized team began extensive preparations for a pioneering separation surgery.
For months, doctors meticulously planned. They studied detailed scans, constructed 3D models of the shared anatomy, and rehearsed the procedure through virtual simulations to ensure the best possible outcome.
The defining operation took place in September 2022. Over thirty medical professionals worked across two operating rooms during an intense, eighteen-hour procedure.
The surgery was a success. For the first time, Annabelle and Isabelle lay on separate tables, each having survived the separation with one leg.
Recovery required immense resilience. The girls spent weeks in intensive care, enduring multiple follow-up surgeries and nearly twenty procedures since birth. Today, they are thriving with distinct personalities—Annabelle is chatty and musical, while Isabelle is determined and energetic. They continue physiotherapy and prepare for prosthetic limbs, their journey a powerful testament to courage and medical perseverance.
