Surgery in process to separate twins

SURABAYA: Tension was visible on the faces of visitors watching a live surgery on Saturday to separate the Balinese conjoined twins, Dwipayanti and Dwipayani, on a television monitor at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital in Surabaya.

"I hope God saves the lives of my two grandchildren," said the twins' grandmother Wayan Jepun who was watching the procedure. The twin's parents, I Gusti Ayu Ketut Sriani and I Gusti Ngurah Eka Laya Kunta, decided not to watch and removed themselves to another waiting room.

The twins are joined at the chest and stomach.

The surgery, which started at 7 a.m. and is expected to be completed in 23 hours, is being performed by a team of around 50 medical specialists.

"We hope people will pray for the success of this surgery because of its seriousness and the long procedure," said the hospital's deputy director for medical services, Teguh Sylvaranto.

The hospital has performed 18 operations to separate conjoined twins. -- JP