Faris Al-Qahtani Okaz/Saudi Gazette RIYADH — The father of the Saudi conjoined twins, who were successfully separated after a near 10-hour marathon operation on Friday, thanked Almighty Allah for the success of the operation, but he along with his wife and family will have an anxious 72 hours wait for the medical team's bulletin on the health condition of the twins. Sami Al-Sha'lan, Director of Public Relations at National Guard's King Abdulaziz Medical City in (KAMC), said the official statement on the health condition of the Saudi twins, Abdullah and Salman, will be announced after the passing of 72 hours of the operation. He said Health Minister and head of the medical and surgical team Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah had stipulated the waiting period. Rubai'an Salim Al-Bishi, the father of the two baby boys, was also all praise for the kind gesture of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman in supporting their efforts to separate the twins. He said, the King generously took on the responsibility of bearing the cost of the operation. Al-Bishi said the twins' health condition is improving. He told Okaz/Saudi Gazette: “The condition of the twins is moving ahead as expected. The operation has been successful, thanks to Allah and the collective efforts in this blessed country including the leadership and doctors and the prayers of the Saudi people and the Muslim Ummah.” He added that the twins are in need of more prayers and supplications until they regain their health and are released from the hospital. When Okaz/Saudi Gazette reporters asked Al-Bishi on why he named the twins Abdullah and Salman, Al-Bishi said, “This is the least that we can do in return for the generosity, kindness and paternity of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques through his directives. We are even happier with these names.” Al-Bishi and his wife were at the meeting hall in the Information Center to watch the surgery live. He was taken through various the stages of the surgery. Al-Rabeeah had earlier announced the success of the operation of the Saudi Siamese twins. In a press conference late on Friday after the operation, Al-Rabeeah congratulated the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince on this occasion, noting that it came as a happy occasion, when the recovery of King Abdullah is being celebrated. The minister praised the doctors who worked intensively to put the Kingdom at the forefront of conjoined twins separation surgeries. He also introduced the medical and surgical team members who participated in the operation. With its advanced facilities and experienced doctors, the KAMC occupies a prominent place globally in the field of separating conjoined twins with a record 30 successful operations. The eight-phase separation surgery started at 1:15 p.m. Friday. At 5:00 p.m. the team had completed the separation of the pericardial sacs around the heart and repaired it. At 6.10 p.m. the fifth phase to separate the liver and the bowel had been completed successfully. At 6:20 p.m. the twins were moved to separated beds for the first time. At 6.40 p.m. Phase 6 was completed successfully for Abdullah. At 7.10 p.m. reconstruction started with the teams being divided into two units A-B. Wounds for Abdullah and Salman were closed. The twins were born on Aug. 7 conjoined at the chest, abdominal area and the heart and liver membranes. The twins suffered from birth defects in their urinary system. The twin boys were born through a Cesarean section to a Saudi mother hailing from the southern town of Bisha.
