NAIROBI—A team of surgeons and health specialists have successfully separated two conjoined twins in a marathon 23-hour surgery, the national referral hospital has said.
The twins who were born in Meru two years ago were joined at the sacral region of the lower spine, the hospital added.
The surgeons aimed at separating the babies and create different stomachs for each of them and heal the wounds.
“They will undergo four more reconstructive surgeries after their wounds have healed,” the head of pediatric surgery at Kenyatta National Hospital, Fred Kabuni said on Wednesday.
The team said they waited for two years to perform the unprecedented operation to make sure “the babies have a well developed organs and muscles strong enough for surgery.”
It is the first time such a medical operation has been performed in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“I am very proud of my team. The journey had been long but successful,” Fred said.
He added that the, “The twins will be checked after one month.”
The twins are now recovering at the KNH intensive care unit.
Among those involved in the surgery were plastic surgeons, anaesthetics, neurosurgeon and nurses.
“We will reconstruct the children’s skins, genitalia, anal canal and bowel in subsequent operations,” the surgeons said.
