Baha conjoined twins’ surgery tomorrow

A set of conjoined twins from the Baha region are to be separated in Riyadh on Sept. 13, a senior official from the Ministry of Health told Arab News yesterday.
Health Ministry Spokesman Dr. Khalid Al-Mirghalani said that a multidisciplinary team headed by Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah will perform the 13-hour surgery in 11 phases. The surgical team comprises 28 members covering anesthesia, pediatrics, urology, orthopedics, plastics and nursing.
The official said that the separation surgery is to be done on a special directive from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to treat the twins Reem and Rana.
The multidisciplinary team headed by Al-Rabeeah met several times to review the case of the twins. Tests and investigations show that the twins share the lower abdomen and pelvis and have a fused uro-genital system, lower back, in addition to sharing one anal canal. “Based upon the discussions with the team, it was agreed that the twins are separable,” the spokesman said.
The twins have now reached their target weight and are doing very well and are stable with all the necessary tests having been completed for the separation, Al-Mirghalani concluded. The surgery is to be performed at the King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh.
“We are thankful to the magnanimity of King Abdullah who positively responded to several requests to separate the conjoined twins both in the Kingdom and from abroad under the sponsorship of the State,” said Dr. Bandar Al Knawy, the CEO of the NGHA at King Abdulaziz Medical City said.