One conjoined twin dies in separation surgery

Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

A team of doctors in Surabaya separated conjoined twins in a two- hour operation on Thursday.

The conjoined twins from Gondek village, Jombang town -- Amir Mukti Abadi, fondly called Abad, and his twin brother Amir Mahmud, known as Little Abad -- were born on Feb. 15.

The twins shared a heart, while Amir Mahmud was born with no facial features nor brain. Amir Mukti Abadi had no liver.

Doctors had decided there was no hope for Amir Mahmud, and during surgery transplanted his healthy liver into Amir Mukti Abadi, who survived the operation and is in a stable condition.

"In cases of conjoined twins where one is not completely developed, usually only one of the babies is saved as the other is medically unable to survive," said the head of the team of doctors, Dr. Teguh Sylviantoro.

The twins underwent surgery at the Integrated Surgery Center of Dr. Soetomo General Hospital from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. Surgeons finished suturing the incision at 12:50 noon.

The 25-member team, involving pediatricians, pediatric surgeons and anesthetists, had initially estimated the surgery would take five hours.

Teguh said the surgery was quick because no complications were encounter and the babies were in a good condition.

"We created a prosthetic navel for Abad as he was born without one," said Teguh.

Amir Mahmud's parents donated the rest of his organs to the hospital to be used for research purposes. His body was buried in Jombang.

"Abad's condition will remain crucial for four to five days," said Teguh.

The hospital has separated 20 conjoined twins since 1975, eight of whom have survived, including two whose twins had not completely developed.

On the basis of its achievement, the hospital will launch a book entitled Conjoined Twins at the Dr. Soetomo Hospital, which details the success of doctors handling conjoined twins at the hospital. The book will be launched by Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari on Friday.