Anna Grace and Hope Elizabeth Richards, conjoined twins born on December 29, 2016, were separated during a seven-hour surgery at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. The little girls, who spent a year and a half in the hospital before they were finally allowed to go home, shared a liver, diaphragm, and part of their heart, which were carefully divided during the procedure.
“We’ve thought about and prayed for this day for almost two years,” the girls’ mom, Jill Richards, said on the day of the procedure.
“It’s an indescribable feeling to look at our girls in two separate beds,” Richards added. “We couldn’t be more thankful to the entire team at Texas Children’s for making this dream come true.”
Before the main surgery, Anna Grace and Hope Elizabeth underwent another surgery on November 6, 2017, during which tissue expanders were inserted to help their skin grow and stretch.
On January 13, 2018, the twin girls underwent their separation surgery, performed by a team of nearly 75 surgeons, anesthesiologists, cardiologists, and nurses across eight specialties.
“The success of this incredibly complex surgery was the result of our dedicated team members’ hard work throughout the last year,” said Dr Larry Hollier, surgeon-in-chief and chief of plastic surgery at Texas Children’s, according to the Independent.
“Through simulations and countless planning meetings, we were able to prepare for situations that could arise during the separation.
“We are thrilled with the outcome and look forward to continuing to care for Anna and Hope as they recover.”
The family was aware of the fact that they will be welcoming conjoined twins after doctors discovered that during a routine ultrasound. The girls were born via Caesarean-section at 35 weeks.
Today, the girls are thriving. Their family is glad the surgeries and the long hospital stays are long behind them.
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