RIYADH — The surgical separation of Burkinabe conjoined twins Hawa and Khadija was successful at King Abdullah Specialist Children's Hospital in King Abdulaziz Medical City of the National Guard in Riyadh. The 26-member Saudi medical and surgical team, led by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) Supervisor General Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, took six hours to complete the complex surgery that was carried out in five phases. The medical team included consultants, specialists, nursing and technical staff from the specialties of anesthesia, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery and other supporting specialties. The 17-month-old girls are joined at the lower chest and abdomen, sharing the pericardium and liver. After the surgery Dr. Al-Rabeeah said that the operation began as planned with the anesthesia stage, which went smoothly and was completed ahead of time. The surgical team found that the twins did not share the intestines, which helped shorten the operation time that was planned in advance. Dr. Al-Rabeeah expressed his thanks and appreciation of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for the unwavering support that the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program received from the wise leadership. He also thanked members of the medical and surgical team for their great efforts, indicating that this medical achievement translates the noble humanitarian feeling of the wise leadership and its keenness to provide good to people wherever they are. "This also embodies Saudi medical excellence, which comes in line with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 to develop the health sector in the Kingdom and raise its quality and efficiency," he said. Dr. Al-Rabeeah said that this operation marks the 62nd separation performed by the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has treated 146 conjoined twins from 27 countries over the course of 35 years. The program's global leadership by Saudi Arabia is recognized by the United Nations, which designated November 24 as World Conjoined Twins Day. For their part, The twins' family members expressed their thanks and gratitude to the Saudi leadership, saying that this enabled the specialized medical team performing the separation operation for the twins and providing them with the necessary treatment. They also praised the great humanitarian work carried out by the Kingdom, and appreciated the warm welcome and generous hospitality accorded to them during their stay in the Kingdom.
