DALLAS (AP) - Doctors took one of two formerly conjoined Egyptian twins off a ventilator Sunday and
hoped to do the same with the second twin as early as Monday.
Mohamed Ibrahim, 2, was breathing on his own Sunday afternoon, a week after surgery to
successfully separate him from brother Ahmed
Dr. James Thomas, chief of critical care services at Children's Medical Center Dallas, said in an
update released by the hospital that he is cautiously optimistic that doctors will not have to place
Mohamed back on a ventilator.
Thomas said that if Ahmed continues to improve, he may be ready to come off the ventilator Monday.
The twins were listed early Monday in critical but stable condition in the hospital's pediatric intensive
care unit.
"Once each twin is breathing on his own without respiratory distress, his condition may be upgraded
from critical to guarded," Thomas said.
The hospital said the twins are showing more motion in their arms and legs and improved response to
verbal cues from the family and medical team.
"The neurosurgical and medical teams are very pleased with the twins' progress so far," Thomas said.
Thomas said Ahmed has not had any repeat of a seizure he suffered Friday night. A lumbar drain was
removed Sunday after CT scans showed no accumulation of spinal fluid. Mohamed's lumbar drain
remains in place.
The hospital said the boys continue to run a low-grade fever, but don't appear to have an infection.
The twins, joined at the top of their heads when they were born in Egypt on June 2, 2001, were
separated Oct. 12 during a 34-hour operation.
