In a remarkable medical achievement, a Saudi medical and surgical team has accomplished the separation surgery of Nigerian conjoined twins, Hassana and Husaina, at the prestigious King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh.
This groundbreaking surgery was undertaken following the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, underscoring the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing medical science and extending compassionate healthcare globally.
Mohammed Alsahabi, Press Attaché at the Royal Embassy Of Saudi Arabia in Abuja, highlighted the meticulous planning and execution by a dedicated team of medical professionals. The procedure, which commenced on Thursday morning, February 29, 2024, marked the culmination of comprehensive examinations and nine planned stages of surgical intervention, lasting approximately 14 hours.
The conjoined twins, hailing from Kano, Nigeria, arrived in Riyadh on October 31, 2023, where they underwent detailed examinations revealing shared areas in the lower abdomen, pelvis, lower spine, and lower spinal nerves.
A team of 38 consultants, specialists, technicians, and nursing staff, specializing in various fields including anaesthesia, pediatric surgery, urology, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, and pediatric neurosurgery, collaborated seamlessly to ensure the success of this complex operation.
Alsahabi noted that this surgical milestone marked the 60th operation undertaken by the Saudi program for separating Siamese twins, a program that has provided care for 135 conjoined twins from 25 countries over the past 34 years.
The successful separation of Hassana and Husaina exemplifies the Kingdom’s dedication to advancing medical science and extending compassionate healthcare globally.
Conjoined twins, also known as conjoined siblings, are identical twins whose bodies are joined in utero. The complexity of each case varies depending on the extent of the connection and the organs shared by the twins. Surgical separation may be considered in certain cases, based on factors such as the twins’ overall health, the extent of the connection, and the potential for independent function after separation.