Formerly conjoined twins Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata, who turned 5 on April 11, have started Pre-K 4 in Littlefield, Texas, marking a significant milestone four years after being separated in a more than 20-hour surgery at Texas Children’s Hospital.
Previously, the girls received various therapies, including physical, speech and occupational therapy and schooling in their home. Their mother, Elysse Mata, said the girls love their teachers and especially love recess. They’re also looking forward to taking the bus to school starting next week.
Following a complex pregnancy monitored by experts at Texas Children’s Fetal Center, the twins were safely delivered at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women in 2014. After spending the first 10 months of their lives in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, they underwent a successful separation surgery on Feb. 17, 2015. A team of more than 26 clinicians including 12 surgeons, six anesthesiologists and eight surgical nurses, among others, worked together to separate the girls who shared a chest wall, lungs, pericardial sac (the lining of the heart), diaphragm, liver, intestines, colon and pelvis.
During the complex surgery, the team worked for approximately 23 hours on Knatalye and 26 hours on Adeline, with the official separation occurring approximately 18 hours into the surgery. Among the surgical subspecialties involved were pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, cardiovascular surgery, urology, liver surgery, orthopedic surgery and pediatric gynecology.
Both girls are doing extremely well and continue to thrive at home where they live with their parents, Eric and Elysse, older brother, Azariah, and younger sister, Mia. The family is very excited to see the girls sharing this special milestone together.