- Title: SINGAPORE/IRAN: SURGERY CONTINUES ON IRANIAN CONJOINED SISTERS
- Date: 8th July 2003
- Summary: (EU) SINGAPORE (JULY 7, 2003) (REUTERS) NEWS CONFERENCE BY DR. PREM KUMAR NAIR, GENERAL MANAGER FOR CORPORATE SERVICES, RAFFLES MEDICAL GROUP (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR. NAIR SAYING: "This afternoon, the process of creating a bypass using a vein harvested from Laden's right thigh ended at 4:30p.m. Neurosurgical separation of the brains commenced shortly thereafter at 5p.m. Although the brains are distinctly separate, because they have been fused for the last 29 years, they are very adherent to each other. Dissection to separate them is thus taking a long time because neurosurgeons have to cut through the tissues very carefully, literally milimetre by milimetre." REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR. NAIR SAYING: "The team has also discovered that after the bypass, the blood circulation between the twins is unstable. This is causing the pressures in the brain and in the circulatory system to fluctuate. We anticipate the process of dissecting the brain will continue well into the night and tomorrow, until such time the surgeons can adequately separate the brains and ensure that the blood circulation is stable." IRANIAN FRIENDS AND WELL-WISHERS AT HOSPITAL NEWS CONFERENCE BY IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO INDONESIA, MR. SHABAN SHAHAD MOADAB (SOUNDBITE) (English) MOADAB SAYING: "His Excellency President Khatami has decided to cover the whole expense of the medical operation, and in consulation with the doctors here, it is roughly around 300,000 U.S. dollars. The Islamic Republic of Iran will cover the whole costs." MORE OF NEWS CONFERENCE GV: MOADAB PRESENTING PLAQUES GIVEN TO TWINS BY IRANIAN PRESIDENT MOHAMMAD KHATAMI
- Embargoed: 23rd July 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SINGAPORE AND VARIOUS LOCATIONS, IRAN
- City:
- Country: Singapore Iran, Islamic Republic of
- Topics: Health
- Reuters ID: LVA5DIBXUB1XRHXH19O84M1QNGVO
- Story Text: Iranian twin sisters joined at the head will face more hours of surgery lasting well into the night as surgeons race against time to separate them.
Dr Prem Kumar Nair, a spokesman for Singapore's Raffles Hospital where the operation was under way, said on Monday (July 7) the 29-year-old twins, Laleh and Ladan Bijani, had tightly fused brains, which was slowing down the operation.
"This afternoon, the process of creating a bypass using a vein harvested from Laden's right thigh ended at 4:30p.m.
Neurosurgical separation of the brains commenced shortly thereafter at 5p.m. Although the brains are distinctly separate, because they have been fused for the last 29 years, they are very adherent to each other. Dissection to separate them is thus taking a long time because neurosurgeons have to cut through the tissues very carefully, literally milimetre by milimetre," he said.
"The team has also discovered that after the bypass, the blood circulation between the twins is unstable. This is causing the pressures in the brain and in the circulatory system to fluctuate. We anticipate the process of dissecting the brain will continue well into the night and tomorrow, until such time the surgeons can adequately separate the brains and ensure that the blood circulation is stable," he added.
The second stage of the operation, after the craniotomy or opening up the women's combined skulls, involves severing blood vessels and veins around their brains.
The latest stage started at 5 pm local time (0900 GMT) and had been scheduled for completion in 10 hours.
The first stage of the operation had already taken longer than expected because the bone where the twins are joined was thick and compact.
After the skulls were opened, surgeons began creating a bypass using a vein harvested earlier from Ladan's right thigh. This vein is used to duplicate a shared major blood vessel between the two brains so the skull can be split.
The operation has drawn worldwide media attention. On Monday (July 7), Iranian President Mohammad Khatami pledged to cover the cost of the operation which is estimated to cost about 300,000 U.S. dollars.
Doctors had said earlier the twins were stable and the operation was proceeding well.
Scores of family and friends were anxiously awaiting the outcome of the dangerous surgery, including the twins' elderly parents in Iran and friends in Singapore.
Supporters have been holding a prayer vigil at the hospital since surgery began around midday (0400 GMT) on Sunday.
The high chance of fatality for one or both sisters -- historically four in five such operations have left one or both of the twins with severe complications like brain damage or in a vegetative state -- has raised ethical concerns.
German doctors turned away the twins in 1996, saying splitting them could prove fatal. But the Bijanis were determined to lead separate lives and persuaded Singapore doctors to carry out the surgery, despite the risks.
The sisters laughed and joked with friends before the operation began.
Singapore doctors successfully performed a similar operation in 2001 on infant girls from Nepal, but experts say such surgery on adult twins is unprecedented.
Twins joined at the head occur only once in every two million live births. Successful separation is very rare.
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