CUTTACK: The special team of doctors, which is engaged in treating the newborn conjoined twin sisters Ganga-Jamuna at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics (SVPPGIP) or Sishu Bhawan, faces a challenging task after the CT scan report came out on Monday. According to the report, the twins have two common vital organs.
“The CT scan report has revealed that the conjoined sisters share one heart and one liver,” said Sishu Bhawan Superintendent Dr Saroj Kumar Satapathy.As per the advice of the radiologist, echocardiograph of their heart was also conducted to know the condition of their heart. As per the echocardiograph report, the single heart is also not functioning properly. “There is a strong suspicion that there is some defect in their heart,” Dr Satapathy said.
The team of doctors has suggested some more tests to confirm the exact defects and those would be conducted on Tuesday, he added.“Under these circumstances, the chances of conducting surgery to separate the twins are very less. Even if the twins had separate vital organs, it is too difficult for the infants to withstand a surgery of such nature,” Dr Satpathy said. However, he said further course of action would be initiated as per the suggestion of the team of doctors monitoring their condition.
Ganga-Jamuna are thoracopagus twins, who are fused at the thorax (chest and the upper abdomen). The chances of such births are one in 10 lakh. The team of doctors will take a call on operating the twins after a couple of months, only if their vital parameters are normal, said a doctor in the team.The conjoined sisters, who were born to Kishore and Sumitra Dutta of Khalipatana under Sarankula police station in a private nursing home at Nayagarh on Friday, were referred to Sishu Bhawan as their condition was not good.
Authorities of Sishu Bhawan on Saturday formed a special team of 12 doctors headed by Dr PK Jena, HoD, Paediatric Surgery Department, to provide treatment to the twins.Health Minister Pratap Jena, who visited Sishu Bhawan on Saturday to take stock of their health, had assured that the State Government would extend all possible help and assistance towards the treatment of the conjoined sisters.