Smallest Ever Conjoined Twins Successfully Separated in Switzerland
Doctors in Switzerland have successfully separated the smallest ever conjoined twins.
The two girls, conjoined at the liver, were born eight weeks early on December 2 in the 32nd week of pregnancy. Their mother was pregnant with triplets and also gave birth to a third girl, who is healthy.
The five-hour separation operation was performed by a group of pediatric surgeons from Bern University Hospital.
"It is the first successful operation of such small conjoined twins in Switzerland and possibly even worldwide, and therefore – apart from great luck for the parents – a medical sensation. A pediatric surgical team from Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG) also took part in the operation organized by the Department of Pediatric Surgery at Bern University Hospital."
Prior to the December 10 surgery, the small siblings had significant issues due to a large amount of blood flowing from one child to another through the liver.
"That is why one child had too much blood an blood pressure that was much too high, while the other child did not receive enough blood and had blood pressure that was too low," the hospital said.
The twins weighed 2,200 grams together. The hospital said such small conjoined twins had never been successfully separated before. In the past 30 years, conjoined twins were only born and successfully separated two other times in Switzerland, according to Bern University Hospital.