HYDERABAD: A team of four specialist doctors from the United States, who recently conducted tests on the conjoined twins, Vani and Veena, on the feasibility of their separation, reportedly were not very positive on the outcome of such a surgery.
According to sources, a report submitted by the team said there were very slim chances of both girls surviving, if the surgery to separate them takes place. “99 percent the two girls will die or one may survive. But, will have some physical problems as their spinal cords are joined at heads,” sources said quoting from the report.
The doctors’ team from the US led by S Burgh, a children’s cranio-facial surgeon, with two other surgeons and a consultant anesthetist, recently visited the hospital and conducted all the tests on the conjoined twins to decide on the feasibility of an operation to separate them. Their report, including the estimated cost of the surgery, would be submitted to health minister DL Ravindra Reddy in a couple of days, said Dr Daruga Ranganath, superintendent of Niloufer Hospital. When asked about the details of the report, Ranganath said the government would reveal it.
In January this year, the state government promised to bear all the expenditure for the operation of the conjoined twins and arranged for their stay in the Niloufer hospital till then. “The twins are healthy with a combined weight of 50 kg. They have good learning abilities and are no different from a normal child, except that they are conjoined,” the superintendent said. Earlier, a team of doctors from Singapore conducted tests on the twins, but did not come forward to operate upon them as their parents wanted cent percent life guarantee, Raghunath added.