Conjoined Twins Separated Successfully in Lebanon

Conjoined twin girls have been separated successfully at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), the state-run National News Agency reported on Tuesday.

This is the “first surgical operation of its kind” conducted in Lebanon, Caretaker Health Minister Firass Abiad announced at a press conference held at the medical centre on the same day, revealing the details of the successful surgery.

Abiad explained that the twins’ parents contacted him six months ago to ask for help after an X-ray showed the twins were conjoined in the womb.

He then contacted AUBMC, which agreed to perform the separation operation despite the current economic crisis.

In Lebanon, hospitals and medical institutions are suffering from shortages of supplies, and medicines as well as medical and nursing staff.

The preparation for the surgical operation took four months, as a team of doctors and nurses prepared to accompany the twin girls until they were discharged from the medical centre.

Full coordination between the team members and planning for all the details played a key role in the success of the operation, which took 10 hours and was characterized by great accuracy and extreme sensitivity, in order not to have any negative complications on the separated organ, the report said.

Abiad was proud that the medical centre succeeded in proving the ability of the AUBMC and the medical system in Lebanon to carry out the operation.

“The health system in Lebanon, even if it faces great difficulties, is a flexible system and has the ability to present achievements,” he said.