HYDERABAD: The doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi have clarified that a surgery for separation of conjoined twins Veena and Vani would involve high risk.
AIIMS doctors’ team comprising Dr Ashish Suri, Professor of Neurosurgery, Dr Manmohan Singh, Professor of Neurosurgery and Manish Singhal, Additional Professor of Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery, came to this conclusion after conducting various tests on the twins and carefully examining the various possibilities over the past five months.
AIIMS doctors visited Niloufer Hospital here in last December to personally examine the conjoined twins. They ordered various diagnostic tests to ascertain the present status of Veena and Vani, which were done under the supervision of Niloufer doctors. Complete neuro-imaging and vascular re-imaging of twins was done to find out whether the twins can be separated without any risk of mortality and morbidity. After examining these records, AIIMS doctors presented the report to Niloufer authorities this week.
“We have informed the opinion given by AIIMS doctors to parents of Veena and Vani, that a surgery for separation would involve high risk. If they still want to go ahead with the surgery we will make further steps. If they refuse then the twins will be discharged from the hospital. However, AIIMS doctors clarified that as of now Veena and Vani are perfect without any neurological disorders,” said Suresh Kumar, superintendent of Niloufer Hospital.
Parents of the conjoined twins have asked for some time to take a decision. After receiving their opinion Niloufer Hospital authorities will present a report to the state government.
Thirteen-year-old Veena and Vani were under the supervision of Niloufer Hospital and have been staying in the hospital itself for the past ten years. Though Niloufer authorities have explored various options and took advice of various specialists from all over globe, surgery could not be performed as it was highly risky. With even AIIMS doctors expressing the same view, the efforts of separating the twins is back to square one, posing fresh challenges.