Saudi doctors prepare to separate conjoined Syrian twins

Ihsan has congenital heart defects while Bassam lacks urinary and reproductive organs

The twins arrived in Riyadh in May, on-board a medical evacuation flight from Ankara. SPA

Saudi doctors will perform a complex operation on Thursday to separate conjoined Syrian twin brothers.

Bassam and Ihsan arrived in Riyadh with their parents on May 22 on-board a Saudi medical evacuation plane from Ankara, Turkey.

The brothers are two years and seven months old and weigh a combined 19kg, the Saudi Press agency reported.

Examinations show that they are joined at the lower chest area and share an abdomen, liver and intestines.

The five-stage operation is expected to take nine and a half hours, said Dr Abdullah Al Rabiah, head of the medical team and general supervisor of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.

At least 26 consultants, specialists, technical, nursing and support staff will take part in the surgery.

Syrian conjoined twins arrive in Riyadh for tricky separation surgery. Photo: SPA

Medical examinations show that Ihsan is the more dominant twin while Bassam lacks kidneys, a urethra, a bladder and reproductive organs.

However, Ihsan has major congenital heart defects that could reduce his life expectancy, along with brain atrophy has affected his neurological development, which makes his chances of survival very slim.

Dr Al Rabiah said the medical team decided last month to perform surgery to save Bassam’s life.

The operation is the 58th within the Saudi programme for conjoined twins, which has handled 130 cases from 23 countries since 1990, he said.