Craniopagus Team Members
December 2021
Craniopagus
Team
Children's Surgery Center
UC Davis Medical Center
Sacramento
,
CA
United States
Aida Benitez, BSN, MBA, RN, CNOR
Andrew Obrien, BSN, RN, CNOR
Christine Evans, BSN, RN
Tatyana Kolpakchi, BSN, RN
Sandina Bega, BSN, RN
Frances Villote, BSN, RN, CNOR
Lisa Peterson, MSN, RN
Olga Yakoubovsky, BSN, RN
Mathew Hipwell, BSN, RN, CNOR
John Ortiz, BSN, RN, CNOR
Michael SB Edwards, MD
Kia Shahlaie, MD
Marike Zwienenberg, MD
Edwin Kulubya, MD
Joti Thind, MD
Granger Wong, MD
Joseph Firriolo, MD
Ping Song, MD
Sarah Chen, MD
Rajvinder Dhamrait, MD
Niroop Ravula, MD
Sarah Maclean, MD
Dua Anderson, MD
Mark Murphy, DO
Karl Kristiansen, MD
Richard Bertacini (anesthesia technician)
Cindy Lomperski (anesthesia technician)
Inna Misiruk (anesthesia technician)
Saul Gonzalez-Gudino
Bettina Ford
Rotell Wilkins
Natalia Patosca
Reshme Kumar
Quinton Jackson
KaMan Liu
Andrew Obrien, BSN, RN, CNOR
Christine Evans, BSN, RN
Tatyana Kolpakchi, BSN, RN
Sandina Bega, BSN, RN
Frances Villote, BSN, RN, CNOR
Lisa Peterson, MSN, RN
Olga Yakoubovsky, BSN, RN
Mathew Hipwell, BSN, RN, CNOR
John Ortiz, BSN, RN, CNOR
Michael SB Edwards, MD
Kia Shahlaie, MD
Marike Zwienenberg, MD
Edwin Kulubya, MD
Joti Thind, MD
Granger Wong, MD
Joseph Firriolo, MD
Ping Song, MD
Sarah Chen, MD
Rajvinder Dhamrait, MD
Niroop Ravula, MD
Sarah Maclean, MD
Dua Anderson, MD
Mark Murphy, DO
Karl Kristiansen, MD
Richard Bertacini (anesthesia technician)
Cindy Lomperski (anesthesia technician)
Inna Misiruk (anesthesia technician)
Saul Gonzalez-Gudino
Bettina Ford
Rotell Wilkins
Natalia Patosca
Reshme Kumar
Quinton Jackson
KaMan Liu
As a member of the Children’s Surgery Center (CSC) surgical staff, nurse Aida Benitez was selected by Dr. Michael SB Edwards (lead neurosurgeon) to be the Operating Room Team Leader and Coordinator for the surgical separation of craniopagus twins A and M. As part of Aida’s role, she coordinated surgical services, personnel, supplies, and equipment. This coordination became interdisciplinary across the hospital with Aida as one of the leads. Aida arranged for multiple interdisciplinary meetings, simulations, and scenarios that were practiced for months to prepare for numerous possible risks.
Over the weekend, in October, the multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, CSC nurses, and technicians/assistants separated the 10-month-old twins in a marathon 24-hour surgery in the CSC Operating Room. The surgical team of over 30 members was led by co-captains, nurse Aida Benitez and Dr. Rajvinder Dhamrait. After 10 months of careful planning, the surgical separation and reconstruction were successfully completed in 24 hours. Monthly and weekly meetings allowed for the fine-tuning of the plans to separate the girls. The dry-runs, the walk-throughs, the mock codes, the talk-throughs are all fine examples of how we can work together for a common goal.
It goes to the heart of what nursing is all about: It is collaboration and respect for all the disciplines and being able to coordinate all the moving pieces for such a surgery and doing it all with compassion. The camaraderie and great spirits throughout the weekend were inspirational. Watching the various teams interact was fabulous. Minimal rest but maximum effort. The teamwork and communication were exceptional. The contingency planning missed nothing. The girls were delivered in separate beds to the PICU as the sun was rising. Fortunately, the twins had a great outcome and were discharged home just in time for their first Christmas and first birthday. They are now living a new “separate but together” chapter of their lives! Doing what toddlers do best: walking, talking, singing, enjoying life.
Cases like this remind us of why we went into healthcare – to be part of a highly skilled and dedicated team that, when necessary, can come together to witness a rare miracle such as the one we witnessed that day in October.
Over the weekend, in October, the multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, CSC nurses, and technicians/assistants separated the 10-month-old twins in a marathon 24-hour surgery in the CSC Operating Room. The surgical team of over 30 members was led by co-captains, nurse Aida Benitez and Dr. Rajvinder Dhamrait. After 10 months of careful planning, the surgical separation and reconstruction were successfully completed in 24 hours. Monthly and weekly meetings allowed for the fine-tuning of the plans to separate the girls. The dry-runs, the walk-throughs, the mock codes, the talk-throughs are all fine examples of how we can work together for a common goal.
It goes to the heart of what nursing is all about: It is collaboration and respect for all the disciplines and being able to coordinate all the moving pieces for such a surgery and doing it all with compassion. The camaraderie and great spirits throughout the weekend were inspirational. Watching the various teams interact was fabulous. Minimal rest but maximum effort. The teamwork and communication were exceptional. The contingency planning missed nothing. The girls were delivered in separate beds to the PICU as the sun was rising. Fortunately, the twins had a great outcome and were discharged home just in time for their first Christmas and first birthday. They are now living a new “separate but together” chapter of their lives! Doing what toddlers do best: walking, talking, singing, enjoying life.
Cases like this remind us of why we went into healthcare – to be part of a highly skilled and dedicated team that, when necessary, can come together to witness a rare miracle such as the one we witnessed that day in October.