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Parents grateful for successful separation of conjoined twins
The team, which comprised 50 specialists, would continue monitoring and evaluating the babies to prevent post-surgery infections, said team chairman Guslihan Dasa Tjipta.
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Happy father: Juliadi Silitonga, the father of Adam and Malik — twins, who were conjoined at the stomach, shows a photograph of his baby sons after a successful separation surgery at the Adam Malik General Hospital in Medan, North Sumatra, on July 23. (Antara/Septianda Perdana)
T
he parents of conjoined twins — Adam and Malik — have expressed gratitude to the team of doctors that performed successful separation surgery on their baby sons on Tuesday at the Adam Malik General Hospital Medan, North Sumatra.
The twins’ father, Juliadi Silitonga, who comes from North Tapanuli regency, said he was happy that his twins, who were conjoined at their stomachs, could now live normally like other babies.
“Without the help of the team of doctors, it would be impossible for us to be like we are now,” Juliadi told The Jakarta Postat the hospital on Wednesday, expressing optimism that both babies would recover.
Team chairman Guslihan Dasa Tjipta said the surgery lasted four hours from 8 a.m. to 11:52 a.m. local time on Tuesday. “The babies are now separated,” Guslihan said, Tuesday.
He said the surgery ran smoothly without any significant obstacles, but said they had to be very careful because the babies’ hearts were also attached to each other. He added that the utmost care was necessary to prevent bleeding.
He also said the plastic surgery team did not need additional materials to cover the walls of the babies’ stomachs where they had previously been attached to each other.
“They are in a stable condition at present. Both have opened their eyes and started crying,” said Guslihan, adding that the babies were still under the team’s intensive monitoring at the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
The team, which comprised 50 specialists, would continue monitoring and evaluating the babies to prevent post-surgery infections, he said, adding that three days after the surgery were a critical period for the babies.
“Hopefully they continue stabilizing and staying healthy,” Guslihan said.
Adam and Malik were born conjoined at Sibolga Hospital on Nov. 22, 2018, from their mother, Noorida Sihombing, 28, of Manalu Purba subdistrict, Parmonangan district. They were referred to the Adam Malik Hospital five days later for separation surgery. (bbn)
