One Twin Breathes, Moves Unaided

Four days after surgery, 2-year-old Egyptian twins who had been joined at the head were doing "extremely well" Thursday, and one boy was no longer receiving coma-inducing drugs, a doctor said.

Mohamed Ibrahim, still on a ventilator, started to breathe spontaneously Wednesday night and has moved his left arm and leg, said Dr. James Thomas, chief of critical care at Children's Medical Center Dallas.

The child has been taken off the coma-inducing drugs both boys had been given to reduce the risk of brain swelling, Thomas said.

Doctors also were reducing the drugs for Ahmed Ibrahim, but temporarily increased his dosage after he experienced involuntary twitching on his right side Wednesday that was interpreted as seizures.

"I think they're doing extremely well," Thomas said.

The twins, joined at the top of their heads when they were born in Egypt on June 2, 2001, were separated Sunday during a 34-hour operation.

Both have been taken off blood pressure medications and antibiotics. Thomas said their pulmonary function was excellent and head CT scans continued to look good.

Meanwhile, the parents were being encouraged to touch and talk to the boys, who remained sedated.

"We tell them that they probably hear," Thomas said. "They may not remember, but they're hearing."