Formerly conjoined twins arrive in California after setbacks

LOS ANGELES -- Two Guatemalan girls born joined at the head then separated by U.S. doctors arrived Thursday in Southern California to receive treatment after suffering medical setbacks.

Maria de Jesus Quiej Alvarez and Maria de Teresa Quiej Alvarez were gently carried from a private jet at Burbank Airport, placed in an ambulance and taken to Mattel Children's Hospital at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"The doctors are going to be ordering tests and reviewing the findings, and we will release the findings once we have permission," said Elaine Schmidt, a spokeswoman for UCLA Medical Center.

The conditions of the 2-year-old twins were not released because of a new federal law that limits hospital officials from commenting unless a parent or legal guardian gives written authorization.

The parents of the girls did not travel with them from Guatemala, and it was unclear if they would come on a later flight.

Doctors, however, have said they were both well enough to travel, even though Maria de Jesus was rushed to a hospital on Wednesday with a fever and convulsions.

Her sister, Maria de Teresa, may have to undergo surgery. The child was using oxygen to breath Thursday while recovering from a May 2 operation to replace a valve that relieves pressure on her brain by allowing accumulated liquid to escape.

The current valve replaced another that was removed April 15 because it had become infected with E. coli.

The twins left Guatemala City earlier in the day accompanied by Dr. Andrew Cannestra, a resident in neurosurgery at UCLA, where the sisters were separated on Aug. 6 during a medical procedure that lasted 23 hours.

The plane landed briefly at Brown Field in San Diego to clear customs before continuing to Burbank. One of the twins briefly peeked from a window of the plane while it was on the ground.

The girls, who made international headlines after their marathon surgery, had been scheduled to travel to this country in the coming weeks for a routine checkup. But the trip was moved up after both experienced health problems.

Born July 25, 2001, in Mazatenango, 110 miles southeast of Guatemala City, the twins drew the attention of Guatemalan and U.S. medical charities.

The Guatemalan Pediatric Foundation and other humanitarian groups raised money to have the two separated at UCLA.

The twins returned to Guatemala in January, and their parents were given a new house in the capital so they could be near their daughters' doctors.

It was unclear how long they would stay in the United States.