Conjoined twins have survived being separated in an intense operation lasting 27 hours.
A pair of adorable nine-month-old sisters left Cameroon for Turkey joined at the hip but can now return on different seats, seven months later.
The girls’ mum has praised the “extraordinary” medical staff in Istanbul who carefully planned the surgery on 3D models before getting to work on little Elizabeth and Mary.
According to their parents, the girls who came out the womb attached were living in pain which led to them seeking medical help.
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Following seven months of planning and a final 27-hour operation to separate the conjoined twins, both girls have been discharged from hospital in Istanbul.
An X-ray image of Elizabeth and Mary Akwe before the surgery at Acibadem Altunizade Hospital, Istanbul
(Image: via REUTERS)
The twins’ father Richard Akwe said: “We were very saddened by the thought of our babies not being able to move around freely and that they were hurting.
“We were also saddened by the crying of our little girls when they were hungry while my wife tried to breastfeed them one by one, but they were a gift to us and we are dedicated to taking care of them in the best way possible.”
The girls’ mother Anne Caroline Akwe told a news conference: “I was very very happy, for seeing Elizabeth and Mary being separated and well without not any complications.
“Despite the many difficulties, I breastfed my babies for a year while they were conjoined.
Anne Caroline and Richard proudly show off their daughters after the operation
(Image: REUTERS)
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“We never lost hope that they would be separated and live in good health. And that dream came true with the extraordinary effort and success of the Turkish doctors.”
After the 27-hour operation, neurosurgeon Dr Memet Ozek said: “The separation of the lower part of the spinal cord was a problem in the eight-and-a-half-hour separation process. Why was it a problem?
“Because it involved four important functions: the movement of their feet, their control of the urinary tract, being able to control defecation, and to prevent a problem in their future sex life.
“Each one had its own unique set of problems. After surgery, the aim is to keep them protected.”