Palestinian Conjoined Twins 'Critical' in Saudi Hospital

Conjoined twins born in the besieged Gaza Strip and sent to Saudi Arabia for separation are in critical condition, a Saudi hospital authorities said on Wednesday.

Conjoined twins born in the besieged Gaza Strip and sent to Saudi Arabia for separation are in critical condition, a Saudi hospital spokesman said on Wednesday.

Less than two weeks old, Ritaj and Rittal Abu Assi arrived Tuesday at the King Abdulaziz Medical City hospital in Riyadh, which has a centre specialising in conjoined twins.

About Pregnancy
Detailed look at Early pregnancy Symptoms and easy health solutions during 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy. With an addition of an online pregnancy due date calculator.

But a hospital spokesman said their condition was still too poor to decide on moving ahead, and that their conjoined heart had a "serious defect" which posed a big problem for any surgery.

"Tests confirmed that the condition of the twins Rittal and Ritaj is very critical and their health is not stable," said hospital spokesman Sami al-Shalan.

Doctors "are still studying the case," and are waiting to see if their condition improves, he added.

Siamese Twins Surgically Separated in Brazil, Not Out of Danger Yet
After a 14-hour operation Wednesday, Brazilian Siamese twins joined at the abdomen and hip were successfully separated but the babies are still not out of danger.

The twins were allowed to leave Gaza Tuesday through Egypt and were flown to Riyadh under the sponsorship of King Abdullah.

The Gazan twins' case is particularly difficult however, Shalan said.

Siamese Twins Conjoined at the Hips to be Separated
Conjoined twins, also known as Siamese twins, Seeta and Geeta have separate heads, hands and legs, but are joined at the hip, having just one anus making surgery risky.

"They are conjoined at the heart, two hearts joined as one heart, and there is a big defect in the heart. This is inseparable," he said.

The twins were born on March 27 in the Gaza city of Khan Younis, where available medical facilities were inadequate for their case.

They were examined on arrival in Riyadh by a medical team including Health Minister Abdullah al-Rabeeah, who has personally carried out many of the separation surgeries undertaken at King Abdulaziz Medical City.

Formerly known as the National Guard Hospital, the hospital has handled 58 conjoined twin cases since 1990, successfully separating 25, Shalan said.

Source-AFP
THK