Eight-limbed girl stable after surgery

A team of 36 doctors performed the complicated procedure at the Sparsh Hospital in Bangalore, which began Tuesday, was done to surgically remove a parasitic twin from the girl, identified as Lakshmi, Press Trust of India reported.

Doctors said the girl was joined at the pelvis to an undeveloped twin.

"Lakshmi is doing fine and her condition is stable," Dr. Mamta Patil, the hospital's chief coordinator, told PTI. She said Lakshmi was on a ventilator in the intensive care unit and that the next few days would be critical with the child being carefully monitored.

Part of the prolonged surgery included reconstructing the pelvic rings of Lakshmi, who was born with four arms and four legs, and saving her two kidneys, the report said.

Lakshmi, whose parents are from the eastern state of Bihar, was taken to Bangalore last month after the hospital agreed to perform the procedure, estimated at about $60,000, free of cost.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International