1.5yo Tanzanian twins' separation surgery to last over 16 hours
Medical teams of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme (SCTP) have begun the complex operation to separate 18‑month‑old Tanzanian twins Nancy and Nice at King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital in Riyadh, Qazinform News Agency cites SPA.
Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Advisor to the Royal Court and head of the surgical team, explained that the twins—who arrived in Saudi Arabia in January—are conjoined at the lower chest, abdomen, and pelvis. They share vital organs including the liver, large intestine, urinary and reproductive systems, and have a malformation of external genitalia.
The separation is planned in 10 stages over 16 hours, involving a team of 35 specialists across pediatric surgery, anesthesia, urology, orthopedics, plastic surgery, and other disciplines. The procedure carries a success rate of more than 60%.
Nancy and Nice are the third pair of Tanzanian twins to undergo separation through SCTP since its launch in 1990, and the 71st separation overall. To date, the program has reviewed 157 cases from 28 countries across five continents.
Notably, Saudi surgical team successfully separated Filipino conjoined twins after nearly 13 hours.