The specialized medical and surgical team affiliated with the “Saudi Program for Conjoined Twins” at “King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital” succeeded in performing the operation to separate the Siamese-Jamaican twins, “Azaria and Azura,” after completing the first three stages of the operation, which included anesthesia, sterilization, preparation, and surgery. The team was able to separate the twins and place each girl in a separate bed.
The Advisor at the Royal Court, General Supervisor of the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid and Head of the Medical and Surgical Team for Separating Siamese Twins, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabiah, said that the operation to separate the Jamaican Siamese twins is carried out in 6 stages, and that the surgical team was able to separate the twins in record time, and that the operation time was shortened due to the challenges of the baby Azura’s heart health.
Dr. added. Al-Rabiah said that the twins, “Azaria and Azura,” arrived in Saudi Arabia on July 28, on board the aeromedical evacuation plane of the Saudi Ministry of Defense, “where they underwent careful and multiple examinations at (King Abdullah Children’s Specialist Hospital), and the results showed their involvement in the lower chest, abdomen, and liver area, with suspicion of involvement in the intestines and heart membranes.”
He also stated that “one of the twins suffers from major congenital defects and a weakness in the efficiency of the heart muscle, amounting to about 20 percent of the normal rate.” “This raises the surgical risk to about 40 percent.”
For his part, Dr. said: Nizar Al-Zogheibi, leader of the anesthesia team for the operation to separate the Jamaican Siamese twins: “Baby Azora suffered from a weak heartbeat before the operation, and as a precaution, electrical shock tape was used.”
This is the 67th case in the history of the program, which evaluated 152 cases from 28 countries on 5 continents, during its course, which spanned about 35 years.
Al-Rabiah stressed that “the continuous successes achieved by (the program) reflect Saudi excellence in this delicate field, and strengthen the country’s position as a global center for medical leadership in separating conjoined twins, and other vital specialties.”
