The agonising decision faced by the parents of conjoined twins who share a heart... and must be separated
By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 7:08 AM on 10th March 2010
It is one of the most agonising decisions any parent could have to make.
這是其中一個任何父母可能要作出的最痛苦決定，。
Conjoined twins Emma and Taylor Bailey, three, will die if they are not separated because too much strain is being put on their shared heart.
三歲的連體嬰愛瑪和泰勒貝利，將要死去如果他們不分開，因為她們分享的心有太大負擔。
But the odds that even one would survive the complex operation are extremely slim.
即使一個能夠生存下去也奇怪，複雜的手術是非常渺茫。
Dilemma: Emma and Taylor Bailey share a single heart, but must be separated if they are to survive
困境：愛瑪和泰勒貝利共享一個心，但必須分開如果要生存下去
No twins born with one heart have ever been separated successfully.
沒有同心的雙胞胎成功分開過。
Now doctors say that time is running out for their parents to make their choice.
Emma and Taylor, who are fused from the breastbone to the belly button, have already defied experts once.
現在醫生說，時間無多給她他們的父母作他們的選擇。
愛瑪和泰勒從胸骨到肚臍融合，已經使專家落空過一次。
Family time: The three-year-old twins with their mother Mandy, who is also mother two four other children
家庭的時間：3歲的雙胞胎與她們的母親曼迪，她也是其他四個孩子的母親
They were expected to live for only 15 minutes because it was thought that their heart would become overworked as soon as they took their first breath.
她們被預計只能活15分鐘，因為當她們作第一次呼吸，被認為她們的心會變得過度勞累。
But doctors say they must be separated in the next year or two to have any chance of survival.
但醫生們說，她們在未來一兩年內一定要分開，才任何生存的機會。
The girls also share a liver. For the surgery to succeed, it is likely that they will both need heart transplants and one will need a new liver.
女孩們亦要共用一個肝臟，為使手術成功，很可能她們都需要心臟移植，而一人將需要一個新的肝臟。
Miracle: When the girls were born, doctors said they would live for only a few minutes
奇蹟：當女孩出生，醫生說她們將只活幾分鐘
Their American mother Mandy Bailey, 32, who lives in Arizona, said: 'There's a tiny window of time for a separation. We have to get it completely right, if we wait too long then the operation cannot go ahead.
'In the next year, life for all of us will be drastically different.
'We know we have to make difficult choices. We understand the risks. But we also understand the outcome if we don't do anything.'
Independent: The girls move around using a specially-adapted walker and are able to feed themselves
獨立：女孩使用特殊改裝助步車走動，並能自己吃食
She said that when the girls were born, all her husband Tor, a 34-yearold builder, had hoped for was to hear them cry just once.
'We were told they would live for minutes and then they would suffocate,' she added. 'The girls were handed to him straight away and they simultaneously inhaled and quietly cried. It was a magical sound.'
The twins' future was still uncertain when they were well enough to be discharged from hospital. They were given oxygen and medication to strengthen their lungs and have astonished doctors with their progress.
They can feed themselves and are learning to get about using a special walker.
Mrs Bailey said: 'The girls are becoming different people and developing adorable little traits. Taylor is the bossy one.
'Emma is a bit crazy, she's always pulling funny faces.' The Baileys have four other children aged 11, nine, seven and two. Emma and Taylor have already had several smaller heart operations.
One in June last year involved placing a band around Emma's aorta to reduce her blood pressure.
Seattle Children's Hospital, which is overseeing the twins' care, does not want to discuss the treatment.
Mrs Bailey said: 'We realise what a great miracle it is for our daughters to be alive and happy. They are a blessing for our family.'
To find out more visit the Two Sisters One Heart Foundation (http://www.twosistersoneheart.com/ ).
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1256638/Conjoined-twins-share-heart-separated.html
連體嬰分割 只能活一個
2010年03月11日
兩個寶貝女兒，只能活一個，叫父母怎樣抉擇？美國一對連體女嬰共用一個心臟和肝臟，隨着年紀漸大，心臟壓力越來越大，必須分割。但醫生估計僅一個能活下來，叫父母心如刀割。
連體嬰（圖）埃瑪（ Emma）與泰勒（ Taylor）現已 3歲，媽媽曼迪回想她們出生時，醫生估計「她們只能活幾分鐘，之後就會窒息死亡」。爸爸貝利打定輸數，只想聽一次她們的哭聲，後來她們竟然活下來，還有不同性格，「埃瑪喜歡扮鬼臉，泰勒有點霸道」。
同哭、同笑，連體嬰走過三個年頭，但心臟快負荷不了，兩年內必須分割。可是醫學史上從未試過共用一個心臟的連體嬰成功分割，醫生估計埃瑪與泰勒只能活一人，最壞情況是姊妹倆都會死去。
英國《每日郵報》
英華裔醫生冒險將女嬰心臟停跳20分鐘實施手術
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