DAYTON — The successful separation of conjoined twins at Dayton Children’s Hospital has been memorialized in a documentary celebrating the rare and dangerous procedure.
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The goal is to show future surgical teams and hospitals what they can learn from the procedure.
Pedro and Augusto, once conjoined at their heads, are now healthy and doing well in their native home of Guatemala.
The last surgery to separate twins at Dayton Children’s was performed more than 30 years ago, so doctors at the hospital spent two years preparing to handle Pedro and Augusto.
The nearly 5-year-old boys came to Dayton Children’s in July 2021 joined at the top of the head with a 90-degree turn, classified as craniopagus O’Connell class III. The condition is incredibly rare with an estimated 50 craniopagus twins born every year, with only an estimated 15 of those surviving more than a few months.
After two years, four surgeries and help from more than half a dozen organizations, the boys were officially separated at 5:43 a.m. on April 8, 2022.
They returned home to their native country of Guatemala in June 2023.
The boys begin the next chapter of their lives as separate individuals but remain connected to the lives they touched here.
“Pedro and Augusto are forever in our hearts and will always have a second home in Dayton,” said Deborah Feldman, Dayton Children’s president and CEO.
Ben Goodstein, vice president and chief ambulatory officer, said, “While we all fell in love with Pedro and Augusto during their time here, we are excited for them to return to their home country and culture. We will continue to keep an eye on them as their recovery process continues and enjoy their bright future ahead.”
Learn more about the boys and watch the full documentary at www.childrensdayton.org/connected.