Eleven-month-old Dominique underwent a six-hour procedure in Chicago The little girl from the Ivory Coast was born with four legs and two spines It was because she had a parasitic identical twin who never developed but became attached to Dominique, growing out of her body She returned home to her family on April 20, and her parents thanked doctors for allowing their daugher to live 'a normal life' A baby girl from the Ivory Coast, born with four legs and two spines, has finally returned home from the United States after undergoing a complex surgery. Dominique underwent a six-hour procedure involving five surgeons in Illinois back in March to remove limbs of a parasitic twin from her back. Video showed the reunion on April 20 with her parents and three sisters at Abidjan International Airport in the Ivory Coast. Speaking to reporters, the 11-month-old's grateful parents thanked the American doctors and charity that helped their daughter. 'I never thought that I'd see my daughter like this today...It really is a miracle,' her mother said in French. 'Thank you to the American people who helped my little Dominique, who allowed her to have a normal life, like other children.' Dominique was born with a parasitic twin, an identical twin that fails to fully separate in development. In other words, not another independent twin, but a twin that was dependent on Dominique's body system, such that her heart and lungs provided the nourishment, said Dr John Ruge, a pediatric neurosurgeon at the hospital. The bottom half of her not-fully-developed twin's body protruded from her neck and back. If left untreated, Dominique would have likely been paralyzed from the extra weight on her spine. Her life span also would have been shortened by the extra pressure on her heart and lungs, doctors said, and she would face social challenges. At Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, on March 8, five doctors performed the surgery, paid for through the hospital's charity. While complex and risky, the six-hour surgery was a success, and they removed the extra legs, spine and bladder. Nancy Swabb, from Edgebrook, Illinois, looked after Dominique from the time she arrived in the US for the procedure. 'She's been a joy. We really enjoyed having her in our family,' she said back in March. 'We send a lot of photos and updates and so we know that Dominique's family sees what she's doing and seeing that she has two new teeth and she's learning to wave and doing all sorts of special things.' The Swabbs hosted an early birthday party for the baby (who turns one year old on May 1) that was attended by more than 100 people, including many of the hospital staff. 'The fact that the twins were conjoined at the spine makes Dominique's condition exceedingly unique and rare,' said Dr Ruge. 'It also made the separation surgery complex. But it was crucial to give this beautiful baby girl the chance to live a long and normal life.' Nancy told The Daily Herald that every night before bed, she takes a little heart necklace that Dominique wore and rubs it against her cheek. She also keeps photos of Dominique in the house, including her favorite, which is of Dominique's hand, with an IV taped to it, grabbing Nancy's finger. On Tuesday, Nancy received a Facebook message from Dominique's father, who sent some new photos and thanked her again. 'He said,"'Thank you infinitely, and God keep you indefinitely",' she said. Source
