Riyadh: A team of doctors at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh on Thursday successfully separated Yemeni conjoined twins in an seven-and-a-half hour surgery, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The two years and seven months old Syrian twins— Ihsan and Bassam, who combined weigh 19kg shared lower chest, abdomen, liver, and intestine areas.
Ihsan was more dominant while Bassam had no kidneys, urethra, bladder or genitals.
The five-phase process involved a 26-member team consisting of consultants, specialists, technicians, nursing and support staff.
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Dr Abdullah Al Rabiah, the head of the medical team and general supervisor of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, led the operation, which was held under the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Dr Al Rabiah expressed his happiness over the success of the operation, which was performed as part of the Saudi programme for conjoined twins.
The medical team expects that Ihsan will not live for more than a few days due to the great shortage of his organs, “noting that this operation is a rescue operation for Bassam, who is in a fair and stable health condition.”
The separation of Ihsan and Bassam is the 58th case within the Saudi program for separating conjoined twins since 1990.
