Maria and Teresa Tapia

With a team of 45 surgeons, the separation surgery took approximately 20-hours. The separation process started on November 7, 2011 at 6 am. This was the first time that a surgery of the type was performed at the Children's Hospital of Richmond. The surgical team divided the pancreas, the liver, as well the organ systems that the twin girls shared. Lastly, the surgical team rebuilt the abdominal walls of the twins.

Maria and Teresa Tapia (born April 8, 2010) are formerly conjoined twins born in the Dominican Republic. The twins were joined by their lower chest and abdomen and were therefore classified as omphalopagus sharing a liver, pancreas, and a small portion of their small intestine. On November 7, 2011, the twins underwent a successful separation surgery at the Children's Hospital of Richmond in Virginia.

Background at VCU Dr. David Lanning acquired both his M.D. and Ph.D. at Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2002 he finished his general surgical training. His pediatric fellowship was completed at the Children's Hospital of Michigan. In 2004 he turned to VCU to work. Now Dr. David Lanning practices as an associate professor of Surgery and Pediatrics in Surgery. Now, Dr. Lanning practices both General and Thoracic Pediatric Surgery.

The World Pediatric Project is a non-profit organization that heals critically ill children in developing nations that may not have access to quality health care tools or procedures. WPP was founded in 2001 as the International Hospital for Children with a mission "to link worldwide pediatric surgical, diagnostic and preventative resources to heal critically ill children in developing countries." The International Hospital for Children and a non-profit organization based in St. Louis merged in March 2011 and became World Pediatric Project. WPP heard about the twins' story through their partners in the Dominican Republic and as a result brought the twins and their mother to the United States to receive surgery performed by Dr. David Lanning.