The Surgery That Made Ben Carson Famous - And Its Complicated Aftermath
Source: washingtonpost.com
- In 1987, Ben Carson led a groundbreaking surgery to successfully separate conjoined twins Patrick and Benjamin Binder, making him famous.
- The 22-hour operation at Johns Hopkins involved 70 doctors and nurses and was the first of its kind to save both twins.
- One twin recovered fully, but the other suffered brain damage and has not been seen publicly since.
The article recounts the dramatic 1987 surgery that propelled Ben Carson to national fame as a neurosurgeon, when he separated German conjoined twins Patrick and Benjamin Binder joined at the back of their heads. It details the operation's success in saving both boys, but reveals the complicated aftermath, including one twin's severe brain damage and the family's mysterious withdrawal from public view. Carson and his team are portrayed as heroes, yet the story questions the full extent of the "m