They are the rarest triplet in the world: see how they look after a historical surgery

The parents-to-become Amy and Mike Howard already received shocking news when they found out they were expecting a triplet.

The couple became pregnant with the triplets naturally, without IVF, which is extremely rare.

But when their sons, Hunter, Jackson and Kayden, finally emerged into the world, it became clear that they were the rarest of siblings.

In fact, their unique appearance made them a 1 in 500 trillion case!

The three brothers were born with the same birth defect.

Doctors noticed that Hunter and Jackson, who are identical, had skulls that protruded drastically at the back of their heads. Their brother Kayden had a prominent forehead, creating a triangle shape on his head.

This condition is called craniosynostosis. This is an extremely rare phenomenon that causes the bones in the baby's skull to join too early. Craniosynostosis occurs in 1 in 2500 births, so the fact that all three were born this way is extremely rare.

"We've come to the conclusion that the probability of seeing a triplet like this is 1 in 500 trillion", said surgeon Dr. David Chester.

Dr. Chester explained that this condition has very serious consequences if left untreated.

"The skull is made up of plates, it's not one bone. If they connect too soon, pressure is put on the brain", he explains. "It may harm the brain, vision, and life of the child".

He adds, "It's not an actual life-threatening situation, but the consequences can be severe down the road".

So when the triplets were 11 weeks old, they had surgery to repair their skulls.

Mike and Amy waited anxiously for two days as each of their sons underwent surgery.

"I was terrified", Mike said. "Anytime your kid goes through surgery, it's pretty crazy".

Recovery

During three separate surgeries, surgeons cut and removed a band of bone to remove the attached part of the baby's skull.

Once again, the brothers made history, as it was the first time a surgery like this was performed on a trio.

Fortunately, the brothers were strong and returned home just two days after their surgeries.

The trio were given special helmets that help shape their skulls into a normal shape.

"They took a little time to get used to them, but they don't give me problems anymore when they have to wear the helmet", Amy said.

Watch Amy and Mike talk about the trio's surgery in the video below:

We are so happy that these surgeries went well and this sweet trio is on their way to a full recovery.

Can you believe these brothers are 1 in a 500 trillion case? how amazing!

Help us share this story with your friends and family to wish this trio all the best in the world.