A pair of Brazilian twins who were conjoined on the head have been successful separated by a UK-based surgeon.
Three-year-old twins Bernardo and Arthur Lima, who were born with fused brains underwent multiple surgeries in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the direction from Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
The team spent months trialling techniques using virtual reality projections of the twins, based on CT and MRI scans. The twins had seven surgeries, involving more than 27 hours of operating time in the final operation alone, and almost 100 medical staff.
Surgeon Noor ul Owase Jeelani described it as “space-age staff”. It was one of the most complex separation process ever completed, according to the charity which funded it- Gemini Untwined which was founded by Mr Jeelani in 2018.
He said, for the first time, surgeons in separate countries wore headsets and operated together in the same “virtual reality room”.
“The successful separation of Bernardo and Arthur is a remarkable achievement by the team in Rio and a fantastic example of why the work of Gamini Untwined is so valuable,” said Jeelani.
“Not only have we provided a new future for the boys and their family, we have equipped the local team with the capabilities and confidence to undertake such complex work successfully in future. It is through this process of teamwork and knowledge-sharing globally that we can hope to improve the outcome for all children and families that find themselves in this difficult position.
“This is only possible through generous donations from members of the public,” Jeelani added.
Source: The South African, BBC News, Independent, People, image from BBC News: Gemini Untwined/ AFP