Conjoined twins may be joined

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These children may be joined at different locations of the body and may share various organs. The attachment to each other may involve a small portion of tissue or may be as extensive as fusion at the head or sharing of an organ or body part. Common types or variations usually are categorized by the location and involvement of the junction through the term pagus, meaning fastened, included in the classification terminology. Twins with a cranial union are considered to be craniopagus. Those with anterior junction at the chest, often sharing the heart and vital portions of the chest wall and internal organs, are called thoracopagus conjoined twins. Thoracopagus is the most common form of conjoined twins. The term pygopagus describes those twins who are joined posteriorly at the rump. Another posterior junction occurring at the sacrum and coccyx is termed ischiopagus. When the connection proceeds from the breastbone to the waist, the term omphalopagus describes the junction. A very rare form, dicephalus, is the condition in which the individual has one body and two separate heads and necks.

Conjoined Twins May Be Joined