Following an arduous 16-hour surgery in Ohio's Nationwide Children's Hospital, a set of 11-month-old conjoined twins from Uganda have been given a new lease of life.

Acen and Apio Akello, who were born joined at the hip and spine, were successfully separated by a team of 30 specialists during a surgery which required the delicate separation of bone, muscle and nerves.

Having made 3D models of the infants' spine and muscles, neurosurgeons began the procedure, later citing that the most difficult aspect of the surgery was dividing the sisters' interwoven spines.

Paying tribute to the various technological aids at their disposal throughout the process, Dr. Jeffrey R. Leonard said: "Imaging helped guide our understanding of the twins’ anatomy."

Explaining the intricate process involved in such a complex surgery, he continued: "In the operating room we were able to visualise and discern which nerves belonged to which twin. Our primary concern was preservation of the twins’ neurologic function so they may have adequate leg movement and bowel and bladder function once separated."
 


Prior to the twins separation, Dr. Gail Besner, chief of Paediatriac Surgery, commented on the impact the surgery would have on the girls' lives, saying: "We have the potential at Nationwide Children’s to take two patients who would never have been able to have a normal life as they were before and make them into two separate individuals who, I expect, will have healthy and normal lives."

Having been successfully separated, the twins', who arrived in the Unites States in December 2014, then underwent reconstruction surgery and now face one more surgery which will see the removal of the colostomies which they have had since their birth.

Turning her attention to the childrens' future, Dr. Besner said: "The girls will continue to receive treatment at this time, and I can’t wait to watch them grow. My hope is that they will be able to sit up on their own, walk and play like any other child."

Ester, the twins' mother, does not speak much English but according to reports, "no words were needed to convey her gratitude."

We couldn't be happier for them!

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