Fijian conjoined twins Jesepeli and Dicecea Kikau have undergone a major separation operation in Saudi Arabia, marking a historic medical milestone for Fiji.
The 13-month-old sisters were taken into surgery at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh on Thursday, October 15, under the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme.
A team of 34 medical professionals, including surgeons, specialists, nurses and technical staff, was assigned to the complex procedure, which was expected to take approximately 15 hours across nine stages.
The operation was led by Dr Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, head of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.
Medical assessments revealed that the twins were joined at the abdomen and pelvis and shared several vital organs, including the liver, intestines, colon, urinary and reproductive systems, and pelvic bone.
Doctors assessed the operation as having a 70 per cent chance of success because of its complexity.
Their parents had sought specialist treatment overseas, but the estimated cost of more than US$1 million was beyond the family’s financial means.
The Saudi Government subsequently agreed to fund their medical treatment, travel and accommodation.
