Texas doctors separate conjoined twins, Faith and Hope

Doctors say they’re optimistic 10-month-old conjoined twin girls named Faith and Hope will survive surgery that has now separated them.

Lead surgeon Dr. Darrell Cass says Knatalyne Hope and Adeline Faith Mata shared a chest wall, lungs, a part of their heart lining and other organs.

The surgery, disclosed Sunday night, was performed last week over 26 hours at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. It had been planned since before they were born.

Cass says the girls are in stable but critical condition and are on ventilators for the next week. They’re expected to be in intensive care for a couple of months, then have more surgery later.

The girls’ mother, Elysse Mata, says she and her husband are grateful their daughters now have a chance to live separate lives.

This story was originally published February 23, 2015 at 6:30 AM with the headline "Texas doctors separate conjoined twins, Faith and Hope."