Two-year-old conjoined twin sisters Heloísa and Helena Batista da Silva died on Saturday, August 15, minutes after undergoing a complex surgery to separate them in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. The girls, who shared brain tissue and blood vessels, suffered cardiorespiratory arrest following the 15-hour procedure.
Sources reported that shortly after the separation surgery concluded, one twin experienced low blood pressure while the other developed high blood pressure. Helena reportedly suffered a heart attack at 11:12 p.m., followed by Heloísa at 11:26 p.m. A medical team attempted resuscitation efforts for 25 minutes, but the girls were pronounced dead.
According to a plastic surgeon on the medical team, Jayme Farina Júnior, the twins had previously faced significant health challenges, including recurrent pneumonia, a tracheostomy, and a gastrostomy for feeding, which had weakened their bodies. He stated that despite their previous resilience, their bodies were unable to withstand the instability following the final separation, leading to cardiac arrest.
This final surgery was the fifth procedure the twins had undergone to achieve separation. The initial three surgeries focused on separating approximately 75% of their shared brain tissue and blood vessels. A subsequent operation involved the use of tissue expanders to prepare sufficient skin for closing their skulls. The final separation required the expertise of more than 50 medical staff members at Hospital das Clínicas.
During the critical post-operative period, both sisters exhibited haemodynamic instability, a condition characterized by insufficient blood flow to vital organs, which can lead to organ failure. Despite the tragic outcome, their father, Amarildo Batista da Silva, expressed gratitude to the doctors and hospital staff. The twin sisters were buried on August 16 in São José dos Campos.