Philadelphia family reunites with conjoined twins who were separated at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
A Philadelphia family is reunited as conjoined twins are now home after being successfully separated and spending a year at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
These two little boys just celebrated their first birthday at CHOP, where they've been since they were born.
Amari and Javar Ruffin were born last September conjoined at the abdomen. The team at CHOP explained to their parents Shankea and Tim Ruffin that a separation surgery would not be overly complicated.
"The boys shared their liver. The really nice thing though is they had equal parts and equal parts were normal size," said Dr. Holly Hedrick from CHOP. "So it was the perfect scenario."
"They were excited and the energy changed," Tim Ruffin said.
After almost a year of planning and allowing the twins to grow, the separation surgery happened on Aug. 21.
"Overwhelmed with joy, excitement, a little nervous because it is a surgery and them being so young, it's still scary," Shankea Ruffin said.
The day was filled with hope and anticipation for Shankea and Tim Ruffin. Inside the operating room, it was all business.
During the eight-hour surgery, the boys were separated and their abdomens were reconstructed using layers of mesh.
They were wheeled out of surgery in separate beds to relieved parents
"I was thinking about them being 5 going to kindergarten, when they got to do show and tell and show a picture and like who's this," Shankea Ruffin said.
A year after being born conjoined, the twins were released from the hospital and are now home with with their two siblings and grateful parents.
"Its a miracle blessing," Tim Ruffin said.
CHOP has now performed 32 conjoined twin separations, the most of any hospital in North America.