After 7 continuous hours, the medical team has successfully separated the Filipino conjoined twins "Akiza and Aisha" Yusuf. In an uncommon scene, the Filipino twins were carried on shoulders instead of being taken out on a medical bed, signifying the success of the operation. The head of the medical team, Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, confirmed to the media that the twins' condition is good, stable, and their vital signs are normal following the five-phase operation. This procedure involved 23 specialist doctors, nursing staff, and technical personnel in anesthesia, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, and other supportive specialties, as well as 10 distinguished female doctors in the medical field, conducted at King Abdullah Specialist Children's Hospital in the King Abdulaziz Medical City of the National Guard in Riyadh.
The conjoined twins, Akiza and Aisha, are 6 months old and weigh a combined 18 kilograms. They arrived in Saudi Arabia on May 5, 2024, and were admitted to King Abdullah Specialist Children's Hospital, where it was determined that they share a common area in the lower chest, abdomen, and liver, with a potential for shared intestines, while each has complete upper and lower limbs. Multiple precise examinations were conducted to assess the possibility of separation, and after several meetings, the medical team decided to proceed with the surgical operation.
This was the second operation for conjoined twins coming from the Philippines and marks the 61st procedure in the series of operations for separating conjoined twins in Saudi Arabia. The medical team has evaluated 136 cases from 26 countries over the past 33 years.
