The specialized medical and surgical team of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program has achieved another significant medical milestone by successfully separating Fijian conjoined twins, Jasepeli and Desicia, in a complex surgical procedure performed on Thursday in Riyadh.
The operation took place at King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital, part of King Abdulaziz Medical City under the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs. The surgery lasted 12 hours and 45 minutes and was completed in nine stages.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, Advisor at the Royal Court, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), and head of the medical and surgical team, announced the successful separation.
He stated that the procedure involved 34 consultants, specialists, technical personnel, and nursing staff from various disciplines, including anesthesiology, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, urology, and other supporting specialties.
According to Dr. Al-Rabeeah, the twins were conjoined at the abdomen and pelvis and shared several vital organs and structures, including the liver, intestines, colon, anus, urinary and reproductive systems, and pelvic bone. The complexity of the case required extensive planning, specialized expertise, and close coordination among the multidisciplinary medical team.
The procedure marked the first conjoined twin separation operation involving twins from Fiji and the 74th successful separation operation in the history of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program. Established more than 35 years ago, the program has evaluated 159 cases from 28 countries across five continents, demonstrating Saudi Arabia’s sustained commitment to advancing specialized medical care and humanitarian health initiatives worldwide.
On behalf of himself and the entire medical team, Dr. Al-Rabeeah expressed his sincere gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for their continued support of the program. He emphasized that their support has played a pivotal role in strengthening Saudi Arabia’s international standing in the field of conjoined twin separation.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah also commended the medical and surgical team for its dedication, professionalism, and outstanding efforts in achieving the successful outcome.
The twins’ family expressed profound gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for ensuring access to advanced medical care. They also praised the Saudi medical team for its expertise, commitment, and efforts in successfully completing the complex procedure while safeguarding the twins’ well-being.