Conjoined Twins Will Not Be Separated: Connor And Carter Undergo Surgery To Repair Exposed Organs

A set of conjoined twins that were born late Friday reportedly underwent the first of a number of surgeries to repair some damage to organs that are partially exposed, according to CBS News.

Conner and Carter, who were born at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, are reportedly joined at the sternum and the abdomen.

The set of conjoined twins are reportedly what’s known as omphalopagus twins, joined at the abdomen, which statistically has the highest survival rate since the body can easily regenerate liver tissue on its own. The conjoined twins reportedly only share a liver and part of their small intestines.

Family of Connor and Carter have reportedly stated that doctors intend on leaving the boys conjoined for the time being, according to the website Jacksonville.com. The two boys have been on a respirator, recovering and are in relatively stable condition as of Saturday, though the family has stated that Carter has begun to have some heart problems due to an enlarged aorta.

“The boys are in stable condition. We have a meeting coming up here very soon with the surgeons and doctors to talk the up coming plans for Carter [and] Connor,” wrote the family on their Facebook page.

They added, “Please continue to keep praying for our baby boys!”

Before the twins’ mother, Michelle Brantley, gave birth to her sons, doctors reportedly told her the boys most likely wouldn’t survive beyond 32 weeks’ gestations, according to the Florida Times Union. She was also reportedly informed that babies born with this rare condition have only a 25 percent chance of survival.

Brantley had reportedly scheduled a C-section for this week, but went into labor late last Friday.

Connor and Carter were born just before midnight. Carter is reportedly 19 inches long and Connor is 18 and a half inches, the family reported on their Facebook page.