[Medical treatment following successful separation of thoracopagus conjoined twins].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze and summarize the medical treatment experience following separation of thoracopagus conjoined twins.


METHODS
The clinical manifestations and the medical therapy of a pair of thoracopagus conjoined twins were analyzed. The conjunction of the female twins was from 5 cm above the nipple to the umbilicus. They also suffered from complex congenital heart diseases. At the 17th day of their lives, they were surgically separated. One girl died after the operation, the other survived but experienced heart failure, sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction (including liver, blood and kidney et al). In order to protect or maintain the main organ function, the vital signs and the objective indexes were monitored continually, such as blood routine test, C reactive protein, hepatorenal function, bacterial culture, and galactomannan test, blood gas analysis and chest radiogram.


CONCLUSIONS
It is important to protect the main organ function and prevent or control infection. The early surgical correction of congenital heart disease may contribute to recovery of the children.
Department of Pediatrics, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University. Jinan 250021, China.
Chun
C
Zhao
Bo
B
Han
Zheng-yun
ZY
Sun
Wen-xiu
WX
Sun
Bo
B
Yang
Jin-fen
JF
Liu
Ya-nan
YN
Lu
An-biao
AB
Wang
Rong-de
RD
Wu
D000005:Abdomen / Q000002:abnormalities; D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D013909:Thorax / Q000002:abnormalities; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014428:Twins, Conjoined / Q000601:surgery*