Doctors in Brazil have successfully separated three-year-old twins born head-to-head. A team of around 100 medical personnel spent 27 hours performing 9 consecutive surgeries.
It is noteworthy that the medical team has sought the help of virtual reality technology mainly in this surgery. Doctors who have performed this work say that it is very complicated in this type of surgery.
Arthur and Bernardo Lima are from the northern state of Roraima in Brazil. Both are conjoined twins by 2018. Both have spent most of their lives since birth in a hospital in Rio de Janeiro on a mattress specially designed for them.
Arthur and Bernardo’s operation is the most challenging separation surgery successfully undertaken to date, and your donations will contribute to the twin’s rehabilitation and enable other craniopagus conjoined twins to receive this life-changing surgery. #ConjoinedTwins pic.twitter.com/LeyN1dnBVG
— Gemini Untwined (@GUntwined) August 2, 2022
Since birth, the twins have not even seen each other. Now it is possible for them to see each other through surgery.
Gemini Untwined, a London-based medical charity, sponsored the surgery the twins needed.
“It is a very challenging and complex operation. This is because both boys shared the main nerves of the nervous system from their birth. Their condition was life-threatening,” said Gabriel Mufarage, a neurosurgeon and physician who conducted the treatment.
“No one has faith in doing this surgery. But we had full confidence in it. Now the result has made us satisfied,” he said.
Doctors created a digital map of the twins’ brain scans for the complex surgery. Through it they have practiced transatlantic virtual reality surgery trials. The success found in it has also been done in real surgery.
The surgical team underwent months of preparation using #VR cross-continentally to share expertise and practice techniques, developing a plan to separate their fused brains. pic.twitter.com/L8va4oJ0JX
— Gemini Untwined (@GUntwined) August 2, 2022
The medical team shared a picture of the twins after the surgery. Our family was in the hospital for almost four years. Now with this treatment, our grief is over,” said Adrily Lima, mother of the twins.
It has been reported that the operation was carried out a few days ago at the IECPN hospital in Brazil.
Arthur and Bernardo will be celebrating their 4th birthday next month, their first one where they can see each other and enjoy it with their family as a two!
Please consider a donation and help change the lives of more twins like Arthur and Bernardo: https://t.co/6cfIB8Utx0 pic.twitter.com/CK664iK1ft
— Gemini Untwined (@GUntwined) August 2, 2022
