Yesterday, Kenya Health sctor show a breakthrough in medication after Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and School of Health Sciences – University of Nairobi medical team successfully separated the conjoined twins Blessing and Favour.
The separation surgery of the Sacrophagus twins who were joined at the lower back took 23 hours. The twins have been in KNH since 5th September 2014 following their referral from St Theresa Hospital, Kiirua in Meru County.
The multidisciplinary team of over 50 medical specialists including paediatric surgeons, neurosurgeons, plastic and reconstructive surgeons, anesthetists and nursing teams performed the 23 hour long highly delicate surgery on 1st November 2016 at the KNH Main Theatres leading to the successful separation of the twins
The children have been admitted in the Specialised Surgical Paediatric Ward for over two years to allow development of key organs and also enable them gain appropriate muscles to withstand the surgery.
The conjoined twin girls who were born on 4th September 2014, were joined at the sacral region of the lower spinal cord.
Surgery of this nature usually required planning and regular consultation by a multi-disciplinary team of KNH and School of Health Sciences, UON specialists to exchange ideas on how best to perform the procedure while minimizing risk of either paralysis or neural damage.