Meet the teen dicephalus twins who beat all medical odds to live
January 12th, 2009 - 2:48 pm ICT by ANI
- London, January 12 (ANI): Brit teens Abigail and Brittany Hensel have managed to beat all medical odds to strike a point that twins can share a body and lead a happy life.
The 18-year-olds have two spines, joined at the pelvis, two hearts and stomachs, three kidneys, two gall bladders and four lungs, reports the Sun.
The dicephalus twins, however, share one liver, ribcage, a nervous system and all organs below the waist including intestines, bladder and reproductive organs.
Despite the doctors warning to parents Patty and Mike, that their girls may not survive their first night on March 7, 1990, the twins have grown up to lead an active life.
They can play the piano, swim, ride a bike and engage in sport activities while each twin controls one side of the body.
The Hensels had even conquered their driving test with each sister using one arm to take control behind the wheel.
Both Abigail and Brittany are believed to be one of only four sets of dicephalus twins ever to survive into teen years, though doctors fear they would eventually suffer heart or other organ defects.
But the sisters continue to defy the predicted fears and hope to tie the knot some day. (ANI)
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- World
- 18 year olds
- abigail and brittany
- abigail and brittany hensel
- active life
- bladder
- dicephalus twins
- driving test
- gall bladders
- happy life
- intestines
- kidneys
- pelvis
- reproductive organs
- ribcage
- share one
- spines
- sport activities
- stomachs
- teen years
- two hearts
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