About two and a half years ago, Bernardo and Arthur’s parents traveled from the far north of Brazil, a small town in the Amazon, to the great Rio de Janeiro, in the hope that the specialized Instituto Estadual do Cerebro Paulo Niemeyer would separate their conjoined twins from each other. could divorce.
Once there, they were initially told that there would be little chance of success. After all, Bernardo and Arthur were Crianopagus twins, meaning they were head-to-head. In this case, the boys also shared vital veins in the brain, making surgery extremely complex and certainly not without risk.
Seven operations
The Brazilian institution enlisted the help and expertise of pediatric surgeon Noor Ul Owase Jeelani of Britain’s Great Ormond Street Hospital. Jeelani also heads Gemini Untwined, a charity that raises money for research and surgery on siblings connected by the head.
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A medical team of more than a hundred doctors and nurses was involved in the operation of the brothers.
Gemini Untwined
Under the direction of Dr. Jeelani and Gabriel Mufarrej, pediatric surgeon at the hospital in Rio, the boys underwent seven operations involving nearly a hundred nurses and doctors. The last two operations alone took 33 hours. The operations were also prepared for months and all kinds of techniques were tried, including using virtual reality.
Long rehabilitation
With success, because after “one of the most complex divorce processes ever completed”, Bernardo and Arthur can now start a new life. However, they will first have to rehabilitate in the hospital for at least a few months, where they are recovering well so far.
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Redemption all came when brothers Bernardo (left) and Arthur grabbed hands four days after the divorce, an endearing image.
Gemini Untwined
In an initial phase after the divorce, the blood pressure and heart rate of both boys went “through the roof”, which is common after this type of surgery. Redemption came when the brothers held hands four days after the divorce, an endearing image.
Doctor Jeelani said he was “absolutely devastated” after the 27-hour operation, during which he took only four 15-minute breaks to eat and drink. But it was “great” to see afterwards how the family was “over the moon.” “There were many tears and hugs,” he said. “It was great to be able to help them on this journey.”
50 craniopagus twins a year
According to figures from Gemini Untwined, one in 60,000 births results in conjoined twins. Only 5% of these are connected by the head, the so-called craniopagus children. It is estimated that about fifty such twins are born worldwide every year. Only fifteen of them survive the first month after birth.
With current technologies, which Gemini Untwined wants to make more accessible, about half of these cases would qualify for successful surgical separation.