Rare twin boys conjoined at the HEAD undergo incredibly delicate operation

A pair of twins conjoined at the head are undergoing life-threatening surgery to be separated.

Anias and Jadon McDonald were born via cesarean section last September near Chicago, Illinois. 

They are attached by the crown of the head. 

Their parents, 31-year-old Nicole and 37-year-old Christian, insist the boys are perfect as they are.

But in order to let them lead a normal life, they have traveled to Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, New York, to have one of the world’s most esteemed surgeons perform the incredibly rare operation to separate their heads. 

The operation costs $2.5 million.  

Getting separated: Anias and Jadon McDonald are undergoing surgery to be separated

Long wait: Their parents Nicole and Christian (pictured in white) stand in the ward with the surgeons as the boys get ready for their 20-hour surgery on Thursday in Montefiore Hospital

Happy: Nicole, 31, and 37-year-old Christian, insist the boys are perfect as they are

The boys were wheeled into the operating theater at 7.15am on Thursday.

Their operation could take up to 20 hours, if not more. 

‘I could almost keep them like this,’ Nicole told CNN, admitting that she has become attached to the boys this way. 

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She says she knows this is for the best, but the fear that something could go wrong during surgery is excruciating.

‘This is so hard. I’m not going to sugarcoat it,’ she said.

Anias and Jadon, who have a three-year-old brother Aza, are technically called ‘craniopagus twins’ – a phenomenon that occurs just once in every 2.5 million births.

Based on national statistics, it is astonishing they have made it to 13 months. 

Around 40 per cent of craniopagus twins are stillborn. 

Of those that survive, a third die within 24 hours of birth. 

The couple, who live near Chicago, already have a three-year-old son, Aza

Their twins were born via cesarean section last September

They are pictured here waiting for surgery with their brother Aza

The operation will be performed by Dr James Goodrich (pictured), a neurosurgeon who specializes in separating conjoined twins at the head

If they survive that point, there is still an 80 per cent risk they would die before the age of two if they are not separated. 

Separation means one or both of the twins may suffer developmental complications. 

‘We know that is definitely a real possibility, but we’re still going to love our boys,’ Christian said.  

The operation will be performed by Dr James Goodrich, a neurosurgeon who specializes in separating conjoined twins at the head. 

Dr Oren Tepper, a plastic surgeon, will be in the room to reconstruct the skulls and stitch each head closed.

The team has spent months practicing and planning their strategy using a physical 3D model of the boys’ heads, plus computerized 3D modeling, where they can look at different scenarios. 

Based on national statistics, it is astonishing they have made it to 13 months. Around 40 per cent of craniopagus twins are stillborn. Of those that survive, a third die within 24 hours

After the operation they will spend 72 hours in intensive care, then months in a rehab center

‘This is about as complicated as it gets,’ Dr Goodrich told CNN.

‘I know the vascular system we have to go through is complex.

‘It’s big. It’s doable, but it’s going to be tedious.’

After the operation they will spend 72 hours in intensive care, then months in a rehab center. 

According to Dr Goodrich, their speech skills will not be affected, given that he is dealing with the back of the brain, but there is a chance they will struggle with movement. 

He told CNN: ‘They have no back control because they’ve never sat up. They’ve never crawled.’

The family has health insurance, which covers a significant amount of the $2.5 million surgery. 

However, they are $100,000 short.

To donate, visit their GoFundMe page.