Conjoined Nigerian twins undergo hours-long separation operation in Saudi Arabia

An hours-long operation to separate conjoined Nigerian twins Hassanah and Husseinah began Thursday morning in Saudi Arabia.

The operation is expected to last for 14 hours and will take place over eight different phases, according to Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Rabeeah, Adviser to the Royal Court and Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, and who is leading the surgical team.

The twins, who were born in 2022, are conjoined at the abdomen, pelvis, liver, intestines, urinary and reproductive systems and pelvic bones areas.

A team of 35 people of doctors, medical experts and nurses are participating in the procedure, which is taking place at the King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Thursday’s operation was the 56th case in a series of operations that have been taking place in the Kingdom since 1990, al-Rabeeah said.