The Hindu : Twins' vein rerouted

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2003

International

International - Globescan

Twins' vein rerouted

SINGAPORE: Neurosurgeons overcame an obstacle on Monday that experts had previously said would make separation surgery on the two Iranian twin sisters nearly impossible without killing one or both, hospital sources said. An international team of five neurosurgeons successfully rerouted a vein which joined the two brains of 29-year-old Ladan and Laleh Bijani, in an unprecedented operation that is expected to last two to four days, a Raffles Hospital official said. The development paved the way for surgeons to begin separating the twins' brains. Tackling the shared vein was considered the biggest obstacle in the surgery: Other than sharing the vein, the women's brains are not joined — though they touch inside their skulls. "There may still be some difficulties encountered, but up until now we are quite satisfied with the progress of the whole surgery," said a hospital spokesman, Prem Kumar. "Up until now, the twins have taken to the procedure quite well," he said. "They are stable, the anesthesia is working quite well, so we are cautiously optimistic." (In the picture, friends of the twins are seen waiting in the hospital for an update on the surgery.) — AP

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