By IANS
Bangalore : Two-year-old Lakshmi, separated from her parasitic conjoined twin after a rare surgery last week, was given semi-solid food Sunday, as her condition continued to improve at a super-specialty hospital here.
“Lakshmi is doing well. She had a good amount of intake during the day, both liquid as well as semi-solid foods. She took a slice of soft bread, a boiled egg and one soft idli for the first time after the operation,” Sparsh Hospital chairman and chief orthopaedic surgeon Saran Patil told IANS late Sunday.
A team of doctors monitoring her condition round-the-clock found her health parameters stable from the biochemical and blood tests conducted earlier in the day.
“Lakshmi is cheerful and able to move her hands and legs at ease. She waves back at doctors and nurses. Her parents – Shambhu and Poonam – were allowed to spend more than four hours with her in the intensive care unit (ICU) at intervals,” Patil said.
Doctors plan to shift the baby to a special ward in a day or two after ascertaining the condition of her body below the waist where she was operated.
“We will review the situation Monday and decide how soon we can shift her to the special ward for rehab and physiotherapy. It may take a fortnight more to heal the wounds and recover fully from the surgery,” Patil pointed out.
Lakshmi was born on Diwali in October 2005 at Araria village in north Bihar with eight limbs – four hands and four legs and a headless conjoined twin joined at the pelvis.
She was brought to Bangalore Oct 3 by Patil for the 27-hour surgery aimed at helping her lead a normal life and walk for the first time since she was born.