Kendra and Maliyah Herrin
Conjoined twins
Kendra Deene Herrin and Maliyah Mae Herrin (born February 26, 2002) are former conjoined twins. They were separated in August 2006. They were the first set of conjoined twins to be separated to share a kidney. Kendra retained their shared kidney following the separation surgery, while Maliyah Herrin underwent dialysis until she was transplanted with a kidney donated by her mother in April 2007.
Prior to the separation surgery, medical ethicists in the United States and in Europe discussed whether it was ethical to separate the twins because of the additional risk to Maliyah. Their family and doctors believed separation surgery would give both girls their best chance to live a normal life.
Early life
The twins were born at the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Erin and Jake Herrin. They began their lives as conjoined twins of a form termed Ischiopagus (Type D) / Omphalopagus (Type B) conjoined twins, meaning that they were joined at the abdomen and the pelvis; they had between them an abdomen, pelvis, liver, kidney, large intestine and two legs (each twin controlling one leg).
Although separation of most conjoined twins is more likely to be successful at a much earlier age, transplantation of a kidney is not generally possible in children younger than age four. Doctors debated whether they should be separated because of the risk to Maliyah, but their parents and doctors ultimately decided to go forward with the surgery, feeling it gave them their best chance at a normal life.
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