Surgeons announced Tuesday they had successfully completed the separation on the country's youngest Siamese twins through an operation.
The girls were separated a week ago in Northeast China's Liaoning Province.
"Now the two baby girls can breathe without the aid of a machine and they can also drink some milk," said Prof. Xue Xindong, head of the pediatrics department of the No. 2 Hospital of the Chinese Medical Science University.
"They were the youngest and the lightest Siamese twins ever to receive a separation operation in China," said Wang Weilin, who took charge of the operation.
The twins were born at the No. 1 People's Hospital in Lingyuan City on April 21.
The twins were conjoined at the chest and abdomen with a total area of 60 square centimeters. They have separate organs and shared only a liver.
"Their situation is much better now and we are very happy to find their hearts are growing normally after the operation," said Wang.
The twins were still under close observation as their lungs showed signs of infection, he said.
The elder sister weighs 2.4 kilograms and is 45 centimeters tall, while the younger one is 2.1 kilograms and 43 centimeters tall.
(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2005)
