By Rehan Khan
RIYADH, Feb 28 (APP): A specialized Saudi surgical team has successfully separated conjoined twins Hawaa and Khadijah from Burkina Faso at the King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital within King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in Riyadh.
The complex procedure, which lasted six hours and was conducted in five stages, involved 26 medical specialists, including consultants, nurses, and technical staff from various disciplines such as anesthesia, pediatric surgery, and plastic surgery.
Royal Court Advisor and Supervisor-General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, led the medical team. He noted that the surgery proceeded according to plan, beginning with a smooth anesthesia phase that was completed ahead of schedule, followed by sterilization and incision stages.
The critical step of separating the pericardium and liver was executed without complications and with minimal blood loss, Dr. Al Rabeeah stated. He highlighted that the success of the operation underscores the advanced medical equipment available in the Kingdom and the extensive expertise of the surgical team.
This marks the 62nd procedure under the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, conducted in line with directives from the Kingdom’s leadership. Over the past 36 years, the program has provided care for 146 conjoined twins from 27 countries, reaffirming Saudi Arabia’s leading role in global humanitarian medical initiatives.
Dr. Al Rabeeah expressed gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for their continued support of the program.
He emphasized that these medical achievements reflect the Kingdom’s commitment to humanitarian efforts and its standing as a global leader in advanced medical care.