PM congratulates HCM City's doctors for successful separation of conjoined twins

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long telephoned to congratulate Ho Chi Minh City’s doctors on their successful operation to separate Truc Nhi and Dieu Nhi, the ischiopagus tetrapus twins conjoined at the pelvis, on July 15.

The ischiopagus tetrapus twins were successfully separated after a 12-hour operation. (Photo: HCM City Children’s Hospital)
The ischiopagus tetrapus twins were successfully separated after a 12-hour operation. (Photo: HCM City Children’s Hospital)

>>> Ischiopagus tetrapus twins successfully separated thanks to nearly 100 medical staff

At 18:40 on July 15, Ho Chi Minh City Children's Hospital successfully separated the twins after an over 12-hour surgery.

Truc Nhi and Dieu Nhi were connected via the pelvic abdomen with four separate legs, a feature of ischiopagus tetrapus (quadripus), a rare phenomenon that only accounts for 6% of conjoined twins, which occur in only 1 out of every 200,000 live births.

Nearly 100 medical workers at the Ho Chi Minh City Children’s Hospital and from other leading medical facilities in the city did their best from the early yesterday morning to separate the twins.

The twins, who are 13 months old and weigh 15 kg, are in good health following the operation. The two babies were taken out of the operating room after doctors completed the final shaping stage for their organs. The twins will continue to be closely monitored for postoperative health status.

Truc Nhi and Dieu Nhi before the operation. The rate of conjoined twins worldwide is 1 per 200,000 live births. Within this figure, only 6% are classified as ischiopagus tetrapus conjoined twins. (Photo: HCM City Children’s Hospital)

Dr. Truong Quang Dinh, Director of HCM City Children's Hospital said that the initial surgical results were very good. The doctor met with the parents of the two babies and explained the progress and preliminary results of the surgery.

When the twins were delivered in June last year, the hospital said they were joined at the pelvis and all four lower extremities were present and oriented at right angles to the axis of the common trunk.

Last year, when the mother’s pregnancy reached 16 weeks, doctors detected that the twins shared one umbilical cord. At 33 weeks, doctors decided to operate to deliver the twins. After receiving intensive care at the HCM City Children's Hospital, the babies’ development indexes are the same as healthy children, and doctors determined that the surgery was now safe to perform.

On the evening of July 15, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Acting Minister of Heath Nguyen Thanh Long sent a special congratulatory message to the team of doctors who carried out the surgery and at the same time passed on their best wishes to the two baby sisters.

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