28-month-old conjoined twins undergo second surgery

The second phase of surgery to separate the 28-month-old twins - Jaga and Kalia - joined at the heads, was underway at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national Capital, till the report went to print. A team of about 30 specialists from the institute's neurosurgery, neuro-anaesthesia, and plastic surgery departments were performing the operation.

"The surgery began at 9 am on Wednesday and was expected to last over 22 hours," said a senior doctor from AIIMS. The twins, hailing from Milipada village under Phiringia block in Kandhamal district in Odisha, are craniopagus conjoined twins, who are joined at the heads.

The first phase of the surgery was performed on August 28, when the doctors created venous bypass to separate the veins shared by the babies that returns blood to the heart from the brain.

"We had suggested the AIIMS authorities to engage experts from across the world in the operation process if needed. The Odisha government is ready to bear the expenses of the foreign doctors. We hope things will go well with the blessings of Lord Jagannath," Odisha's Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena said.

Bhuyan Kanhar, father of the twins said,"The surgery is being done as the condition of Jaga deteriorated."

The conjoined twins were admitted to the AIIMS on July 13. The Odisha government has sanctioned Rs one crore from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) for the treatment of the twins.

Dr A K Mahapatra, chief of the neurosciences center earlier had said the twins suffer from the condition which afflicts one in 30 lakh children, of which 50 per cent die either at birth or within 24 hours. The surgery is feasible only on 25 per cent of the survivors while the rest continue to live with the condition.