Fijian conjoined twins separated successfully at Riyadh hospital

Fijian conjoined twins Jasepeli and Desicia were successfully separated after an operation of almost 13 hours in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

The surgery was performed at the King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital, part of the King Abdulaziz Medical City under the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, adviser at the royal court, general supervisor of the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, and head of the surgical team, said the operation was completed in nine stages.

He said 34 consultants, specialists, technicians and nurses from anesthesiology, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, orthopedics, urology and other specialties took part in the procedure.

According to Al-Rabeeah, the twins were joined at the abdomen and pelvis and shared a liver, intestines, colon, anus, urinary system, reproductive system and pelvic bone.

He said the procedure was the first such separation involving patients from Fiji and the 74th operation conducted under the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program.

The program has operated for more than 35 years, assessing 159 cases from 28 countries across five continents, he added.

The twins’ family thanked King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Saudi medical team.