Siamese twins are called two newborns with fused parts of the body. Their “connection” can be in various places, while doctors divide these twins into two types: symmetric and asymmetric. This seemingly insignificant separation has radical consequences for the twins themselves.
Symmetrical Siamese twins have all the organs and parts of the body, which will be enough for an independent "full" life. The only anomaly at their birth is the place where the bodies merge. In the case of asymmetric Siamese twins, everything is much more complicated. As a rule, one of the twins is smaller and weaker, and at a certain stage ceases to develop, parasitizing due to the second. Such brothers can be separated surgically, in order to increase the chances of the strong to survive.
Siamese twins are not an example of gene mutations, but arise from a single fertilized egg (twins also appear), which must separate at a certain stage in order to form two people. However, with delayed cell separation, the two embryos are connected, which contributes to the appearance of Siamese twins. According to another theory, embryos unite before separation, at an early stage of their development.
We invite you to learn about 10 Siamese twins, distinguished by their uniqueness and interesting history.
1
Ronnie and Donnie Galion
Siamese twins Ronnie and Donnie Galion were born at the end of October 1951, and were fused in the abdominal cavity. In 2009, they were listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-living Siamese twins. Today, their age is approaching 70 years. This result is all the more surprising when you consider that the fused twins have a fairly short lifespan. Unfortunately, many Siamese twins die during childbirth or shortly after birth.
Ronnie and Donnie not only survived, but also became real stars, working in a circus and living a full life (although in childhood they were forbidden to attend school so that other children would not be distracted from school). United in the lower abdomen, each of the brothers has “his” limbs. The only thing they share is the intestines and penis.
2
Lori and Reba Chappel
Lori and Reba Shappel are Siamese twins of Kraniopagi. They were born in 1961 in a small North American town in Pennsylvania. This type of twins is born with fused heads, which poses a practically insoluble task for physicians to separate people. Kraniopagi twins are born no more than one in two and a half million and are rare even among Siamese twins, making up from 2 to 6 percent of their total number. Like Lori and the Rebbe, they have common parts of the brain, which makes it impossible to separate them.
Lori and Reba are forced to spend their whole lives with their heads connected. Despite this, Reba was able to make a career as a country performer. At one point, the girl said that she always felt like a boyfriend and changed her name to George.
3
Erin and Abby Delaney
The story of Erin and Abby Delaney is an example of the true miracle and professionalism of doctors. Like the Siamese twins, Spappel, Erin and Abby were craniopagi fused at the top of the skull. They were born in the summer of 2016, and ten months later, doctors performed an operation to separate them, which lasted 11 hours and ended in success. For its implementation, 30 doctors immediately needed work.
Separations of Siamese twins of this type are extremely rare. The operation was extremely difficult, because the twins shared common blood vessels, which were necessary for the vital functions and normal functioning of the brain. One wrong step, one mistake, and both twins could die on the operating table. Separation at such a young age will provide girls with a full life. They will grow without even remembering the physical connection at birth.
4
Frankincense and Lale Bijani
The sisters Incense and Lale were born in Iran in 1974. Their story was not as joyful as that of the Siamese twins Delaney. The girls were also craniopagi, trying to split up their whole lives. Since their brains were connected, doctors rated the separation operation as extremely risky. For this reason, German experts refused to help the girls.
However, their desire to split was so great that the Siamese twins Ladan and Lale turned to doctors in Singapore, who took up the risky operation. According to doctors, they tried to dissuade the girls. The adoptive father of Ladan and Lale, on the contrary, claims that doctors insisted on surgical intervention. The adoptive mother speaks of the adherence of Incense, while Lale was terribly scared.
Unfortunately, both girls died as a result of complications that caused a large loss of blood. At the time of the operation, they were 29 years old. However, their death did not become in vain. Doctors were able to better understand exactly how to carry out such operations, increasing the success rate of separation of craniopagi.
By the way, on our site most-beauty.ru there is a very interesting article about the moment of death, from the point of view of modern science.
5
Liu Seng-Sen and Liu Tang-Sen
The brothers Liu Seng-Sen and Liu Tang-Sen were Siamese twins xiphopagami. This means that they are fused with cartilage to the lower abdomen. The twins were born in China in 1886, and earned a living by performing with performances in different regions of Asia.
Although the exact date of birth of the twins is unknown, some sources claim that they died at 71. If true, then they are the longest-lived pair of Siamese twins in history. However, the theory is still not confirmed, however, as it is not refuted.
6
Abigail and Brittany Hensel
Born in 1990, Abby and Britty Hensel are Siamese twins parapages. Such twins share a common body with a pair of arms and legs, but two heads. The heads of the girls are filled with different thoughts and desires, which they share in one body. Despite the rarity of this intergrowth (found only in 5% of Siamese twins), the girls live a completely ordinary life. They successfully obtained a driver’s license in Minnesota. Interestingly, the girls had to take the test twice, since each of the sisters controls “their” arm and leg, and feels only their half of the body. Both sisters passed the exams perfectly.
This separation makes the girls act in unison, following the movement of the limbs of each of the sisters. Nevertheless, they not only walk and run perfectly, but even ride a bicycle, swim and play volleyball. Abby and Britty live a full life and are not shy about their “features”. At some point, they even hosted reality shows on television, and now they are teaching mathematics at school, not at all complaining that they are paid the salary of one person.
By the way, we have an article about the most beautiful girls of TV presenters in the world! We advise you to look at them.
7
Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova
Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapovs were born in the USSR in the beginning of 1950. They had a fusion at the waist with bodies separated by 180 degrees and were the classic representatives of the Siamese twins of the ishiopagi. Each sister had “her” set of organs and limbs, the only thing they “shared” were legs. Below the belt, it was one person, above - two different.
Their story was tragic from birth to the death of girls. After giving birth, doctors took the girls from their parents, telling them that they died from pneumonia. In infancy, studies were carried out on sisters at medical institutes. To see the reaction of the Siamese twins, doctors conducted many experiments, including extreme temperature drops, isolation and sensory deprivation.
This led to the development of two personalities of antagonists who constantly fought among themselves. At one point, Dasha tried to hang herself, due to the fact that Masha, who dominated her, forbade her to enter into a relationship with the guy she liked. The sisters died in 2003 with a difference of 17 hours. The first as a result of a heart attack (one of the reasons called alcohol dependence) Masha died. A day later, Dasha died, as the sisters had one circulatory system, the second girl died due to intoxication. It is difficult to imagine how Dasha could feel, knowing that she would soon die after her sister.
8
Conner and Carter Meribal
Conner and Carter Meribal are Siamese twins from Florida who underwent a successful separation operation only in 2018. They were connected in the abdomen, dividing one stomach into two. They also had a common liver, intestines, and bile ducts. Despite the difficulties, a team of highly qualified surgeons was able to divide the common organs, saving the brothers' lives. Forecasts before the operation were disappointing, according to doctors, the chances of success were only 25%, however, they managed to conceive.
This operation shows that modern medicine has reached heights that allow the Siamese twins to be divided, giving them the opportunity to live a full life.
9
Arthur and Eitor Rocha
Brazilian twins Arthur and Eitor Rocha were born in 2009 with a joint in the abdomen. They are often shown on television, which made the brothers extremely popular all over the world. Arthur and Eitor have a common liver, bladder and intestines. The brothers were connected for five years. Over time, Eitor's weight began to "load" the spine and internal organs of Arthur, so their parents decided to undergo a separation operation. The risk was very high, which ultimately led to the death of Arthur. Such complex intergrowths are often inoperable, surgical intervention can lead to the death of both twins or, in this case, one of them.
10
Chang and Ang Bankers
The life of Chang and Ang Bankers was quite unusual even for Siamese twins. They are considered the "founding fathers" of this term. The brothers (and all subsequent Siamese twins) received this nickname because they were born in the territory of modern Thailand, which at that time was called Siam.
The twins were born in 1811, performing from 1929 to 1939 at the British Circus, after which they moved to America. Initially, Americans treated them like slaves, seeing in the twins only a way to make a huge fortune. Over time, Bankers were able to avoid the influence of the so-called managers, and began to work for themselves. The brothers received American citizenship, recruited their own troupe, and later bought a farm and several of their own slaves. They married the Aates sisters (no, the girls were not Siamese twins), who gave birth to a bunch of children. Chang had 10 of them, and Ang had 11.
Chang, who was addicted to alcohol, suffered a stroke that paralyzed his right side of the body. Ang moved his brother alone until Chang died in 1874. Brother survived him for several hours. They died at the age of 62.
Finally
We showed you only ten touching stories about the lives of some Siamese twins. Can you share your stories on this subject? If Yes, then write in the comments.