China conjoined twin critical after separation

SHANGHAI, July 9 (Reuters) A conjoined twin girl was in critical condition today, three days after an operation to separate her from her sister, Xinhua news agency said.

The 11-month-old girls, Hu Jingxuan and Chen Jingni, underwent almost 13 hours of surgery on Thursday in Shanghai under the care of 70 doctors and nurses working in shifts.

Chen Jingni was breathing with the help of a respirator and was in stable condition, a hospital source told Xinhua.

''But Hu Jingxuan's condition is unsteady and under emergency treatment in an intensive care unit,'' Xinhua said, quoting a hospital source.

The girls, from Taizhou in the eastern province of Zhejiang, had shared a liver and a digestive tract before the surgery and had congenital heart disease.

''Although the operation was successful, the girls still face many challenges to survive, such as the failure of internal organs after surgery,'' Xinhua said.

Reuters SHB GC0843