Surgeons to separate legs of ‘baby mermaid’

PERUVIAN surgeons have performed a preliminary operation to separate the fused legs of a nine-month-old girl known as the “baby mermaid” because of her rare birth defect.

Dr Luis Rubio said his team inserted three silicone bags into the tight coating of skin around Milagros Cerron’s legs on Tuesday. The bags at the baby’s ankles, knees and thighs will be filled with saline solution every three days to stretch the skin.

Rubio said the baby would be ready for the complicated surgery to separate her legs in 40 to 45 days.