Conjoined twins from Yemen separated after eight-hour operation in Saudi Arabia

Salman and Abdullah were joined at the pelvis and abdomen

Salman and Abdullah were in a critical condition and suffered from reproductive and urinary complications. SPA

Surgeons in Saudi Arabia have separated conjoined Yemeni twins after an eight-hour operation in Riyadh.

The team at Saudi Arabia's King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) operated on Salman and Abdullah who were joined at the pelvis and abdomen, and shared a bladder and colon.

The six-stage operation took place on Thursday, with Dr Abdullah Al Rabeeah leading a 35-member team of consultants, specialists, nurses and technical staff.

The twins were in a critical condition and suffered from reproductive and urinary complications.

“Their postpartum condition was critical, due complications in the aorta and the pulmonary artery, which necessitated an emergency operation at the time,” Dr Al Rabeeah told the Saudi Press Agency.

He said that the four-month old twins came from Al Jawf province, weighing a total of 8.6 kilograms.

“This operation came in implementation of the generous directives of the Saudi leadership,” said Dr Al Rabeeah, an adviser at the Royal Court and supervisor general of the centre.

Hospitals in Yemen lack the medical equipment and expertise required to separate conjoined twins and cases are regularly sent to neighbouring Saudi Arabia.

KSRelief is continually involved in sending aid to neighbouring countries across all sectors. Yemen's health sector has received the largest share of aid, with $830 million spent on 342 projects over two decades.

Under the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme, KSRelief has so far sponsored operations to separate 55 children from 23 countries.

The kingdom covers the costs of treatment and care, transport and accommodation for the patients and their families.