Hopes high for lives of separated twins

Published on Monday 13 October 2003 01:00

THERE was growing optimism last night that the operation to separate two-year-old conjoined twins Ahmed and Mohamed Ibrahim had been successful.

The boys, who were joined at the head, were separated after 26 hours of surgery at the Children’s Medical Centre in Dallas, Texas. Doctors parted the intricate connection of blood vessels running between the brains of the boys - considered the riskiest part of the operation.

"They are now within striking distance of living independent lives," said Dr. Jim Thomas, chief of critical care at the hospital.

The next procedure will involve reconstructing their skulls and covering the wounds with skin, Dr Thomas said.

Doctors have spent more than a year planning the surgery, which was expected to take a team of 50-60 medical personnel as long to 90 hours to finish.

The first step was to remove skin expanders placed about five months ago in the boys’ heads and thighs to provide enough skin and tissue to cover their head wounds. Once their head wounds are closed, the boys will go to an intensive care unit, where they will remain in a drug-induced coma for three to five days.

Dr Thomas said: "We planned meticulously for this and things are going according to plan." The boys’ parents were "doing fine", he added. "They have said repeatedly to all the parties involved this is in God’s hands."

Relatives of the Egyptian brothers welcomed the reports. "If this is true it is very good news," said Nasser Mohammed Ibrahim, their uncle.