RIYADH, 5 January 2005 — Crown Prince Abdullah showed immense concern about the welfare of the Polish conjoined twins who were successfully separated on Monday at the King Abdul Aziz Medical City for the National Guard.
“The crown prince was highly concerned of the twins and has been monitoring their progress from the time of their admission to the hospital,” the Chief Executive Officer and head of the surgical team Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah told Arab News.
The 15-hour surgery was performed on a request made by the mother of the twins, Wieslawa Dabrowska, a 37-year-old seamstress from the central Polish town of Janikowo, to the crown prince to save the life of her infants by a surgical intervention to separate the conjoined twins, Daria and Olga Kolacz.
Dr. Rabeeah who received applause from all parts of the globe for his achievement in his surgical feat said that he loves to do this service because of the love and care he has for humanity. He pointed out that the crown prince’s gesture in this regard gives a new dimension to the concept of love and care.
“The crown prince made it a point to inquire about the condition of the twins even during the long surgery,” Dr. Rabeeah said. He added that the babies were in excellent condition after the surgery, “their hearts, lungs and kidneys are functioning very well without any complications,” the chief surgeon noted.
Dr. Rabeeah said the infants, presently in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), are showing signs of speedy post-surgery improvement. “They are opening their eyes and moving their legs indicating the smooth function of the nerves,” he said, adding that the respirator could be removed in a couple of days because of the rapid progress shown by the twins.
The separated twins will be kept at the PICU for 10 to 14 days and thereafter they will be shifted to the regular ward, he said, indicating that the recovery period would last for six weeks.
On admission to the hospital, the medical team found the twins were joined at the abdomen, pelvis, buttocks and spine. They shared one anal canal and rectum with adherence of their lower urinary and genital systems.
The 25-member medical team comprised: Pediatric surgeons — Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, Dr. Saud Al-Jadaan, Dr. Mohammed Al-Namshan, Dr. Saud Al-Shenaify. Anesthestists — Dr. Mohammed El-Gammal, Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim Gomaa, Dr. Faweaz Habib, Dr. Kholoud Al-Faraidi, Dr. Ali Al-Khutani. Tech. Salem Al-Shammari, Tech. Hassan Al-Sabani, Tech. Mohammed Al-Howishan. Pediatric Urologist (Standby) — Dr. Ahmed Al-Shammari. Orthopedic Surgeon — Dr. Saad Al-Mohrij and Dr. Ayman Jawadi. Plastic Surgeons — Dr. Manaf Al-Azzawi and Dr. Abdullah Al-Thunayan. Neuro Surgeons — Dr. Ahmed Al-Ferayan and Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Arifi, Nursing staff — Diana Boegh, Connie Chan, Medina Ismail, Glenda Kennedy, Judith Le-Que, Justina Franco and Carmen Santos (Standby).
