South African Siamese Twins to be Separated in Four Months

The first ever pair of South African Indian Siamese twins are doing well and are expected to be separated in four months.

Danielle and Danika Lowton, born on June 21 at the Arwyp Medical Centre here, are healthy and tolerating their oral feeds.

"They are gaining weight and are healthy," a report in the Post newspaper quoted Wian Stander, head of the medical centre, as saying.

The twins, who are joined above the ear, were born by Caesarean section and weighed a combined 3.96 kg at birth. The twins swill stay in hospital till the time of the operation to separate them four months from now.

The parents, Nitesh, 28, and Kribashnee, 31, were very excited when Kribashnee's pregnancy was first detected. But concern soon replaced the excitement when doctors detected an abnormality in the pregnancy two months later.

However, five months thereafter, it was discovered that the twins were joined above the ear and that they had their own brain and blood vessels. This meant that they had a better chance for survival when they are separated.

Kribashnee gave birth 36 weeks into her pregnancy.

According to the Post, Wale Adedipe, a neurosurgeon, will lead a 24-member team of surgeons in the operation four months from now to separate the twins. It will include neurosurgeons, paedetricians, gynaecologists, plastic surgeons, anaesthesiologists, nurses and a clinical psychologist to counsel the parents.

The operation is expected to last from five to 20 hours. The twins could be sent home seven to 10 days after the operation, provided there are no complications.

Both the parents are hopeful that the twins would pull through.

(Source: IANS)