Conjoined twins occur in approximately one in every 60,000 births, with only 5 per cent being craniopagus twins, where the head is fused
London, UK – A London-based surgeon has expressed his joy after successfully separating one-year-old conjoined twin girls in a complex 14-hour surgery. The intricate procedure was performed on Minal and Mirha, craniopagus twins born in Pakistan, who were joined at the head.
The surgery, carried out in Turkey, was led by Professor Noor ul Owase Jeelani, a consultant paediatric neurosurgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
The twins, who shared vital blood vessels and brain tissue, required extremely delicate surgery. Professor Jeelani, who led the operation through his charity, Gemini Untwined, described the moment as “a really wonderful feeling,” as the twins’ parents witnessed their daughters’ new beginning. The twins are now expected to make full recoveries.
The surgery took place at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital and spanned over three months, culminating in a 14-hour final procedure. Jeelani’s team employed cutting-edge mixed reality (MR) technology, using special goggles to superimpose 3D images of the brain and blood vessels onto the children’s heads during the operation. Jeelani credited this advanced technology with enhancing precision and transforming surgical planning.
“We used special goggles to view images of the brain and blood vessels superimposed onto the child’s head during surgery,” Jeelani explained, noting that the technology provided additional assurance in surgical planning and could reveal previously unseen details.
Minal and Mirha were born with a rare condition that caused them to be conjoined at the head. The case was referred to Jeelani’s team in 2023, and with support from Gemini Untwined and the Turkish government, the twins were transported from Pakistan for the life-saving procedure. Jeelani praised the international collaboration, saying, “Against the odds, we managed to pull it off.”
Conjoined twins are extremely rare, occurring in one in every 2.5 million births, with a high mortality rate. Professor Jeelani, internationally recognised for his expertise, has previously performed successful separations of conjoined twins in Brazil, Israel, and Pakistan. Despite this surgery taking place in Turkey, Jeelani highlighted the role of British medicine, saying, “We are world leaders in delivering this kind of complex surgery.”
The twins are recovering well and are expected to return to Pakistan within a few weeks. Jeelani expressed optimism about their progress, saying, “They’re making an excellent recovery, really wonderful.”
The surgery was supported by Gemini Untwined, a charity founded by Jeelani to improve surgery and treatment for children with craniopagus and other complex craniofacial conditions. This marks the second time Jeelani has collaborated with the Turkish government, following a similar operation on two Turkish boys in 2020.
Mixed reality (MR) technology played a pivotal role in the surgery, combining 3D images with real-world surroundings to enhance precision. Jeelani explained, “The technology helps to give you that assurance that your surgical planning has been correct. Within the next five years, I can see mixed reality being used in more routine surgery.”
Conjoined twins occur in approximately one in every 60,000 births, with only 5 per cent being craniopagus twins, where the head is fused. According to Gemini Untwined, the life expectancy for twins who remain conjoined is low, with about 40 per cent being stillborn or dying during labour.
The successful operation in Ankara spanned two surgical stages over three months, with the final procedure lasting 14 hours, marking a major achievement in the field of paediatric neurosurgery.
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