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Parasitic Twin Removed from 10-Month Old Baby in Chicago Surgery [VIDEO]

By Mark Miller | Update Date: Mar 22, 2017 08:26 AM EDT

Ten-month-od baby girl Dominique was born with four legs and two spines. In a successful six-hour procedure in a Chicago Hospital, her parasitic twin was successfully removed.

A rare and complex surgery performed at the Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge Illinois managed to remove Dominique's undeveloped twin. She had a parasitic identical twin that never developed, resulting to the abnormality. At present, she is currently under the care of a Chicago foster family and will be returned home after full recovery, the Daily Mail UK reported.

Dominique's parasitic twin protruded from her neck and back. To be able to perform the surgery, the hospital prepared the 10-month-old child last March 8 to remove the organs growing out of her body. The twin's body system was also found to be dependent on Dominique's body system getting nourishment from her lungs and heart.

A parasitic twin is an identical twin that never developed but remained attached to a healthy baby's growing body. Dominique was originally from the Ivory Coast and was brought to the United States to undergo surgery.

Nancy Swabb from Edgebrook, Illinois took Dominique in for foster care. She is also responsible for sending Dominique's family pictures and information about her development, Reuters added.

Nancy Swabb found about Dominique's condition through a friend who shared a post on Facebook. The post originally came from Children's Medical Mission West, a nonprofit organization that helps transport kids for free medical care for rare conditions.

If Dominique's undeveloped twin was not removed, her life would not last long since her heart and lungs were working overtime to support two living bodies. The continuous growth of the extra legs and spines on her back will cause deformities and can bring a lifetime of pain on her back. Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge Illinois facilities and expertise were sufficient enough to successfully offer a new and normal life for Dominique.

  

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