Cojoined twins’ separation a success

Fifteen-month old Indonesian conjoined twins Anggi, left, and Anjeli, right - fused at the stomach and hip - are recovering after separation surgery in Singapore.

TWO 15-month-old Indonesian sisters who were born joined at the stomach and hip were recovering well yesterday, a day after a successful operation to separate them, surgeons said.

“The twins are doing very well. Both woke up this morning and were smiling at their parents and the doctors,” said Dr Tan Kai Chah, who gathered a team of 16 doctors for the 10-hour operation in Singapore.

Tan said one of the girls, Anggi, had already been taken off the ventilator while her sister Anjeli would remain on it for another day.

“I am very hopeful of the outcome,” said British consultant surgeon and team leader, Edward Kiely.

The twins were born fused at the stomach and hip and they had three legs. Following the surgery, the girls now have one leg each and will later be fitted with artificial limbs. Doctors used muscle and tissue from the third leg - which had no knee or hip joint and could not function - in the operation.

“We’ve realigned their legs and we’re confident they can at least hop around on crutches,” Kiely said. “They had a full set of organs themselves so now that they are separated they have almost everything that baby girls should have.”

Doctors said the twins could remain hospitalised for up to three weeks.

The operation was especially risky for Anjeli, who has a hole in her heart, and doctors cautioned that the girls would be in intensive care for some time yet.

Their mother was excited and happy after the operation.

“I feel so glad because the doctors have separated my daughters. We thank the doctors’ team from London and Singapore who separated my daughters,” Neng Armaini said.