Peru's "little mermaid," a baby born with legs fused from her thighs to her ankles, will undergo delicate surgery Tuesday night to begin repairing her rare birth defect, her doctors said Monday in a statement.
Doctors say it could take 15 years of operations to correct the child's birth defects.
Milagros Cerron, who celebrated her first birthday on April 27, was born with a rare congenital defect known as sirenomelia, or "mermaid syndrome," which occurs in one out of every 70,000 births.
A medical team of 10 doctors, including plastic surgeons, pediatricians and heart specialists, will assist in the surgery, the statement said.
In the past three months, doctors have inserted silicone bags filled with saline solution to stretch the skin so it will cover her legs once they are cut apart.
Rubio said last month that "frequent, recurring urinary infections" and a low red blood count had slowed her progress ahead of surgery.
Milagros has a deformed left kidney and a very small right one located very low in her body. In addition, her digestive and urinary tracts and her genitals share a single tube.
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