Conjoined twins successfully separated in 12-hour surgery

In a remarkable medical achievement, surgeons at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) successfully performed a complex surgery to separate two-month-old conjoined twins Naila and Shumaila from Naushahro Feroze.

The procedure that lasted between 10 and 12 hours was led by a multidisciplinary team of 10 medical professionals, including four expert surgeons from some of Karachi’s top medical institutions, health officials said on Monday.

Born on September 10, the twins were joined at the abdomen and shared portions of their internal organs. Their parents faced severe financial challenges in arranging the surgery. However, the NICH administration bore all the expenses, ensuring the procedure was conducted without any financial burden on the family.

NICH Executive Director Dr Nasir Suddle emphasised that teamwork made this challenging operation a success. “The surgery was difficult, but successful due to the combined expertise of specialists from the NICH, the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology, the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, the Aga Khan University Hospital and other private medical experts consulted during the planning phase.”

The twins’ grandmother expressed her heartfelt gratitude. “We had no means to pay for the surgery, but everyone, including the doctors, helped us. We are immensely thankful for their efforts to save our girls.”

The procedure involved extensive planning. According to health officials, preoperative preparations spanned weeks, with medical teams conducting multiple evaluations and rehearsals to ensure the surgery’s success.

Conjoined twins are a rare occurrence, with an estimated incidence of one in 250,000 live births globally, making their separation a significant surgical challenge. Dr Suddle confirmed that both girls are in stable condition and recovering well. Post-operative care and monitoring are under way to ensure no complications arise. This achievement adds to the growing expertise in paediatric surgery in Pakistan, highlighting the collaboration and skill of local medical professionals in tackling highly complex cases.