Guatemalan twin Maria Teresa Quiej Alvarez, formerly conjoined
at the head to her sister, was to be released from Mattel
Children’s Hospital July 3, but doctors decided against that
action when a fever was detected. Her release date has yet to be
determined by doctors.
The 23-month-old twin underwent an operation to replace a shunt
in her head to drain fluid, and a tube was inserted in her stomach
for nutritional support.
Her sister, Maria de Jesus, was released on June 7 after being
treated for a minor scalp wound and is staying with a family from
Healing the Children, the nonprofit foundation that initially flew
the twins from Guatemala in May for treatment.
Both girls will continue to undergo physical and occupational
therapy before their return to Guatemala.
The twins were brought to UCLA when Guatemalan doctors
discovered the original shunt in Maria Teresa’s head had
become infected with E. coli meningitis in April.
“While she has experienced a neurological set-back, only
time will tell what lasting effects the meningitis will have on
her,” said Director of pediatric neurosurgery Dr. Jorge
Lazareff, the twins’ lead neurosurgeon, in a press
release.
“I remain optimistic that she will continue to
improve,” he said.
In the future, both girls from Guatemala will have to undergo
plastic surgery in order to reconstruct the shape of their skull
caps and to normalize their hair patterns.
The twins were separated in a nearly 23-hour surgery at UCLA on
Aug. 6 and initially returned to Guatemala on Jan. 13.