His Excellency the Minister of Health, and head of the surgical team specialized in separating conjoined twins, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, has announced the success of theseparation surgery undergone to the Saudi conjoined twins, Abdullah and Salman, yesterday at King Abdulaziz Medical City-National Guard Health Affairs (KAMC-NGHA) in Riyadh. The surgery has been conducted at the gracious directives given by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - May Allah protect him - and took about ten hours.
In a press release upon the surgery, Dr. Al-Rabeeah has extended his deepest and loftiest greetings and congratulations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince on this occasion, which coincides with another pleasant celebration of the recovery of his Majesty, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, May Allah preserve him.
In the same vein, Dr. Al-Rabeeah said: “I would like to congratulate the Saudi people and the parents of the children Abdullah and Salman, meanwhile, extending thanks to the physicians who spared no effort to put Saudi Arabia at the forefront of the countries conducting the conjoined twins separation surgeries”.
Besides, he added: “This great country is always marked by the progress and success in all walks of life in general and in the complex operations in particular, including the conjoined twins separation surgeries”.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah has prayed for Allah to bestow upon the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques the health and well-being and preserve him for the interest of his country, his people and for all Arab and Islamic nations.
Thereafter, His Excellency introduced the members of the medical team participating in this surgery; whereas each one of them has explained the procedures undertaken in every stage of the conjoined twins separation surgeries, in details, referring to the difficulties encountered them and how they overcame them so as to come to the successful separation of the conjoined twins: Abdullah and Salman.
Subsequently, the Minister of health has extended his sincere thanks and appreciation to the presidents of both King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) and Qassim University (QU) for the participation of their students in the separation surgery of the conjoined twins: Abdullah and Salman.
Moreover, in his response to an inquiry about the idea of collecting all the experiences of theco-crewwith regard to the separation surgeries in a Saudi medical blog documenting all conjoined twins separation surgeries, Dr. Al-Rabeeah has pointed out: “This is a new suggestion and we are seeking nowadays to collect all these experiences of the colleagues participating in all health domainsto document them in one blog.”
Regarding following up the ex-conjoined twins who have been separated, Dr. Al-Rabeeah pointed out that there have already been communicating with them, but the Ministry is about to have a full-time coordinator to keep in touch with children who have been separated at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in the past and with their families.
In addition, Dr. Al-Rabeeah confirmed that conjoined twins separation surgeries are not routine operations and cannot be conducted in other centers, noting that whenever they are conducted at a unified medical center, the more successful and stronger they take place.
He kept on adding that conducting such operations in different centers may lead to diminishing the opportunities of success.
Besides, he stressed on the fact that the members of Saudi medical team conducting the conjoined twins separation surgeries have become international references in such a kind of operations, praise be to Allah.
On the other hand, the parents of the twins Abdullah and Salman have expressed their thanks and gratitude to Almighty Allah for the success of separation surgery, May Allah be praised.
They went on extending thanks to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, May Allah protect him, for his directives toward conducting the surgery on their children, meanwhile, praying for Allah to reward him.