Separated twins wake from coma

Father Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim with his sons before surgery

Egyptian conjoined twins who were separated during major surgery have regained consciousness and have movement in their limbs, say doctors.

Dr James Thomas, director of critical care at the Children's Medical Center in Dallas where two-year-old Ahmed and Mohamed Ibrahim were separated on Sunday said both boys were showing signs of recovery.

"Both now open their eyes when spoken to, and they appear to be searching out the voice calling their name," he said.

Mohamed, known as "the rascal" for his mischievous behaviour, has recovered from the 34-hour operation more quickly than his brother.

Waking moments

The boys had showed signs of fever and were restarted on a course of antibiotics. Infection can be life-threatening in the post-operative period.

MEDICAL HISTORY Born by Caesarean section in Qus, Egypt, 2 June 2001 Arrive in Dallas in 2002 World Craniofacial Foundation funds their trip Tissue expanders inserted under skin in April 2003 to prepare for reconstruction 34-hour operation carried out 11-12 October Well-wishers flood hospital with messages Ethics of separating twins Conjoined twins

A team of five neurosurgeons separated their shared brain material and the shared circulatory systems that feed blood to their brains.

Mohamed is due to undergo surgery on Saturday as doctors examine a skin graft on his temple that was put in place to help repair the wounds from surgery.

Doctors say they will take the boys off mechanical ventilators that are aiding their breathing in the next few days.

The boys are currently lying in separate rooms on beds designed to rotate their bodies so that they do not develop bed sores.

In their waking moments, they try to focus on objects in their rooms.

The boys were born in a town 500 miles (800km) south of Cairo in 2001.

Twins conjoined at the head account for about one of every 2.5 million births and about 2% of all conjoined births.