Does anyone know any more about this story?

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Feb 19, 2005

A nurse holds an Egyptian baby named Manar Maged in a hospital in the city of Banha, 25 miles, north of Cairo Feb. 18, 2005. Egyptian doctors said they removed the second head from the girl, who was suffering from the rare birth defects in an operation on Saturday. (Reuters)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1756&e=3&u=/050219/photos_wl/mdf865759

I did read about this and saw a photo when the baby was first born. Really strange. Must be awful for the mother in that the second head/torso actually was capable of smiling and expressing emotion.

AmyB · Feb 19, 2005

That's one thing I wondered about. It looked like the secondary head was somewhat aware and capable of expressing emotion. What a terrible situation for any mother. Having to remove one head with a personality from her child with a body. (It's hard to explain. Makes me grateful for my three beautiful children.)

AmyB · Feb 19, 2005

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/egypt_baby_dc

... and now, here's the rest of the story. I was so shocked, I didn't even think to look for it.

USA987, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 19, 2005

What can I say....OMG!

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 19, 2005

fascinating. Must be hell for the family affected.

misti_z · Feb 20, 2005

OMG :stone

That picture is absolutely haunting to me.

How difficult a process to have to deal with for the family. What will that child deal with once it becomes old enough to understand and see that pic?

As for the staff, during surgery, that would have been so hard (I imagine) to seperate your personal feeling (i.e. this being a baby's head) from your job at hand.

That image is really hard to shake..........

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Feb 20, 2005

I wonder if...

The "head" was named.

If when it blinked it could see.

Did it have a functioning brain?

Did it smile when it was talked to, etc?

Was it another "baby"... just one without a body?

Just wondered what anyone else thought.

Are they going to give the head a burial or will they just dump it in biohazardous waste or leave it as a specimen?

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Feb 20, 2005

http://uk.fc.yahoo.com/050220/325/fcv0y.html

webblarsk · Feb 20, 2005

What a sad and disturbing story! That photo really bothers me!

NurseFirst · Feb 20, 2005

What a sad and disturbing story! That photo really bothers me!

Really! Aren't 11 mo olds generally able to say some words? Yikes! I wonder if they felt that no one would live if the operation wasn't done...

NurseFirst

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2005

I think I saw a story similar to this on TV years ago. The extra head smiled and made facial movements, but only if and when the main head did so, and they were the same movements as the main head made. It was as though the nerves were connected. But definitely NOT as though it had a mind or soul or willful intent to smile.