Baby born with four legs and two spines separated from parasitic twin which stuck out of her body

The ten-month-old girl, identified only as Dominique, was taken from the Ivory Coast to a hospital in the US for a rare and complex six-hour operation performed by a team led by five surgeons

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ByChris kitching

• 11:13, 22 MAR 2017
• Updated12:08, 22 MAR 2017

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Hospital staff carry ten-month-old Dominique into surgery (Photo: Reuters)

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A baby girl born with four legs and two spines has been separated from a parasitic twin which protruded from her neck and back.
The ten-month-old girl, identified only as Dominique, was taken from the Ivory Coast to a hospital in the US for a complex surgery which was deemed a success.
A team led by five surgeons operated on the little girl for six hours, and she is said to be thriving following the rare procedure on March 8.
Dominique spent five days in hospital and is now recovering at the home of a foster family until she is healthy enough to fly back home to the West African nation.

Surgeons prepare the baby for surgery at a hospital in Chicago (Photo: Reuters)

Dominique was born with four legs and two spines (Photo: Reuters)

Doctors who performed the surgery at Advocate Children's Hospital, in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, said the bottom half of the parasitic twin's undeveloped body was protruding from Dominique's neck and back.

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John Ruge, a pediatric neurosurgeon at the hospital, told Reuters: "A parasitic twin is an identical twin that fails to fully separate in development.
"In other words, not another independent twin, but a twin that was dependent on her body system, such that Dominique's heart and lungs provided the nourishment."

An operation to remove the girl's parasitic twin was successful (Photo: Reuters)

Dominique looks at reporters during a news conference days after surgery (Photo: Reuters)

Pediatric and reconstructive surgeon Frank Vicari added: "It's going rather well. She was only in the hospital a total of five days.
"She's been home with 'step-mum' and just doing very, very well."
The girl's foster mum, Nancy Swabb, has been caring for Dominique since she left her family in Ivory Coast and arrived in the US for surgery.

Host family Nancy Swabb, husband Tim and daughter Mara with Dominique (Photo: Reuters)

The baby girl will stay in the US until she is healthy enough to fly home (Photo: Reuters)

Dominique's family have been relying on her for updates.
Ms Swabb said: "She's been a joy. We really enjoyed having her in our family.