Polish twins separated

Polish twin girls who were separated by Saudi doctors in an 18-hour operation are recovering in the intensive care unit, the official .

The 13-month-old girls, Daria and Olga Kolacz, were born joined at the spine, intestines, urinary systems and sexual organs. A team of 50 Saudi doctors and nurses took part in the marathon separation operation in the capital, Riyadh.

Chief surgeon Dr Abdullah al-Rebia said the most critical part of the surgery was the separation of an important artery hidden in thick membrane in the abdominal area.

Another difficulty was that the surgeons found intertwined blood vessels that were not detected during preliminary screening, but they dealt with the situation successfully, SPA said.

Doctors said the two girls would be released from the hospital after two weeks if no complications occur. They will then begin the rehabilitation period, which includes physiotherapy for the spine and the lower limbs.