Saudi Surgeons Successfully Separate Conjoined Twins Within 7 Hours

A team of Saudi surgeons has successfully separated conjoined Syrian twins in a seven-hour operation at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh. 

The twins, named Bassam and Ihsan, were joined at the lower chest area and shared an abdomen, liver, and intestines. 

The operation, which involved a 26-member team, was led by Dr. Abdullah Al Rabiah, the head of the medical team and general supervisor of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre. 

The twins, who are two years and seven months old, were in a stable condition after the surgery. Ihsan had congenital heart defects that could reduce his life expectancy, so the operation was necessary to save Bassam’s life. 

Dr Al Rabiah explained that the existence of conjoined organs and congenital defects in some organs made the operation complex. The twins were transferred to a children’s intensive care ward for further supervision. 

This operation is the 58th within the Saudi programme for conjoined twins, which has handled 130 cases from 23 countries since 1990.

The surgery took place at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh and the twins, Bassam and Ihsan, are now in stable condition. 

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The operation was led by Dr Abdullah Al Rabiah, head of the medical team and general supervisor of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre. 

The twins, who were joined at the lower chest area and shared vital organs, required surgery to save Bassam’s life due to Ihsan’s congenital heart defects. 

The operation was part of the Saudi program for conjoined twins and is the 58th successful separation within the program. The twins and their parents were flown from Turkey to Saudi Arabia on May 22.