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| A medical illustration shows a fused lower spine in conjoined twins – which is quite common in recorded cases of pygopagus twins. PHOTO | FILE |
The 20-strong team of specialists and surgeons is lined up to carry out the 16-hour operation on the twin boys born to Tanzanian parents from Dodoma region. The operation will cost some Sh103 million.
The case has elicited considerable excitement not only in India, which is famous for its medical tourism, but also across the global medical fraternity--which will have an opportunity to watch the delicate surgical operation live on the Internet.
It will be India’s first attempt at separating babies joined at the tail end of their spines, scientifically described as pygopagus twins.
This category accounts for just 17 per cent of the conjoined twin population in the world.
According to Dr Venkat Sripathi, a senior consultant urologist at Apollo Hospitals, the surgery will involve separating the spine, anus, rectum, penis and urethra.
He added: “They have a single anus, urinary passage and rectum. Their penises were fused. It was unlike anything we have seen before.”
When doctors at the hospital pored over similar cases, they were confronted with the rarity of the condition. Of the 30 sets of pygopagus twins reported worldwide, 26 were female and only four were male.
The nine-month old twins, Ericana and Eluidi, are fifth in the known global list and will, for the first time on Tuesday, be able to look at each other in the eye if the doctors have their way.
The little ones and their mother have been admitted for the past five months at the Apollo Hospitals’ Vanagaram branch, where upbeat doctors will attempt the feat that could boost their reputation.
The twins were first admitted to hospital in their third month. Their mother can only pray and hope for the best--which is to return to Tanzania with her bubbling twins.
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