Conjoined Twins Next Surgery To Take Place After 45 Days

The twins from Odisha, Jaga and Balia are expected to undergo a second surgery at the AIIMS, New Delhi, after one and a half months, said Health Minister Pratap Jena here on Monday. "The health conditions of Jaga-Balia are well after the first surgery (on August 28). The doctors attending the twins are observing their conditions," he said. This is a very rare occurrence, only one in 200000 births are of this kind. In India, four in ten such births die when born and additional three die within 24-hours. Since 1952, 50 such attempts have been carried out across the world and the success rate is below 25%.

Jena told a news publication, "We are keeping close watch on health conditions of Jaga Balia on a daily basis. An employee of the Health Department has also been posted at the AIIMS being exclusively in charge of the twins." The medical team treating the twins comprises 40 members, including a top surgeon from Japan. "A new bypass technique was used for the first time on the twins conjoined at head," said Deepak Gupta, paediatric neurosurgeon at AIIMS, part of the team.

The two-and-a-half year-old craniopagus twins, or fused at the cranium, were brought to AIIMS on July 14, from Milipada village in Kandhamal district of Odisha. One of the major concerns during the operation was to prevent blood loss and handle intra-operative complications, which was successfully taken care of, said an AIIMS doctor. "The surgery was uneventful and there was no major blood loss or intra-operative problems."

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