Separation of conjoined twins in Mbombela a milestone
The milestone six-hour separation surgery was done at Kiaat Private Hospital on December 1.
In a first-of-its-kind operation for the province, a stellar team of doctors from around the country performed a complicated six-hour-long separation surgery on five-day-old conjoined twins in Kiaat Private Hospital on December 1.
The long and intricate surgery was successful. However, a few days into the twins’ recovery at Kiaat’s Neonatal ICU, both of the babies succumbed to fulminating sepsis, which led to cardio-respiratory failure.
The twins had been born in Emalahleni Tertiary Hospital to a 27-year-old mother as part of triplets. After the delivery, it was discovered that two of them were joined by their abdomen, with anorectal malformation, and both had underdeveloped lungs.
ALSO READ: Dilapidated, vacant property a danger to West Acres’ residents in Mbombela
The severely premature twins weighed under 1kg each and required urgent separation surgery to improve their chances of survival.
Despite the unpredictable and heartbreaking outcome, the surgery is considered a monumental milestone for the facility.
The surgery was led by Dr Elliot Motloung, the head of paediatric surgery in Mpumalanga. He was joined by a team of highly skilled and experienced specialists, Dr Patrick Shibambu, Dr Riaan Louw, as well as anaesthetists Dr Munyaradzi Jambaya and Dr Vuyo November.
They were also joined by paediatric surgeon Prof Nyaweleni Tshifolaro and two specialist anaesthetists, Dr Hwanano Samuel Habangana and Dr Lerato Ramatlotlo from Gauteng.
ALSO READ: Malalane SAPS prevents robbery, shoot-out ensues
The surgery was performed as part of Motloung’s public-private collaborative programme to offer the best care to Mpumalanga’s children, regardless of their economic status.
The twins were laid to rest in eMalahleni at their family home.
Kiaat’s management thanked the doctors and nursing staff for the amazing work they had undertaken to give the babies a chance in life, and said the surgery was just the beginning of what is to come in changing the lives of young children across the province, as both government and private hospitals collaborate.
