The 2-year-old twins whose conjoined heads were surgically separated this month, are making a rapid recovery, one of their surgeons said.
“They’re behaving like babies who have had a craniofacial operation half as long as theirs,” said David Staffenberg, one of the boys’ surgeons at Montefiore Medical Center.
The Filipino twins, Clarence and Carl Aguirre, underwent a 17-hour procedure to be separated on Aug. 4.
May move to separate rooms
Carl, who has been more subdued than his brother, still refuses to eat solid food, but officials said Sunday that his spirits have improved.
“Carl is smiling for the first time since the operation, and Clarence is back to his old self,” said Steven Osborne, a spokesman for the hospital.
Clarence, who has always suffered from hypertension, is off his blood pressure medicine with no adverse reactions, Staffenberg said.
Over the weekend, Clarence smiled widely as the boys’ mother, Arlene Aguirre, played with him, and he made fish faces by puckering his lips, Osborne said. Clarence also was keeping time to recorded music with his rattle and a new set of jingle bells.
Doctors were considering moving the boys to separate rooms “to care for them better and to make sure no infections go back and forth,” Osborne said.
