DAISY Team Award—Craniopagus Twin Separation Team, Children’s Surgery Center (CSC)

Team Award
Craniopagus Twin Separation Team
Children’s Surgery Center (CSC)

As a member of the Children’s Surgery Center (CSC) surgical staff, nurse Aida Benitez was selected by Dr. Michael SB Edwards (lead neurosurgeon) to be the Operating Room Team Leader and Coordinator for the surgical separation of craniopagus twins Abigail and Micaela. As part of Aida’s role, she coordinated surgical services, personnel, supplies, and equipment. This coordination became interdisciplinary across the hospital with Aida as one of the leads. Aida arranged for multiple interdisciplinary meetings, simulations, and scenarios that were practiced for months to prepare for numerous possible risks.

On the weekend of October 24, 2020, the multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, CSC nurses, and technicians/assistants separated the 10-month-old twins in a marathon 24-hour surgery in the CSC Operating Room. The surgical team of over 30 members was led by co-captains, nurse Aida Benitez and Dr. Rajvinder Dhamrait. After 10 months of careful planning, the surgical separation and reconstruction was successfully completed in 24 hours. Monthly and weekly meetings allowed for the fine tuning of the plans to separate the girls. The dry-runs, the walk-throughs, the mock codes, the talk-throughs are all fine examples of how we can work together for a common goal.   It goes to the heart of what nursing is all about: It is collaboration and respect for all the disciplines and being able to coordinate all the moving pieces for such a surgery and doing it all with compassion.

The camaraderie and great spirits throughout the weekend was inspirational. Watching the various teams interact was fabulous.  Minimal rest but maximum effort. The teamwork and communication exceptional.  The contingency planning missed nothing. The girls were delivered in separate beds to the PICU as the sun was rising on the morning of October 25.

Fortunately, the twins had a great outcome and were discharged home just in time for their first Christmas and first birthday. They are now living a new “separate but together” chapter of their lives! Doing what toddlers do best: walking, talking, singing, enjoying life…

Cases like this remind us of why we went into healthcare – to be part of a highly skilled and dedicated team that, when necessary, can come together to witness a rare miracle such as the one we witnessed on October 25 at 3:28 a.m.!