"World-first operation on heart and liver conjoined twins a success"
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 April 6, 2007
A BANGKOK hospital says it has performed the world's first successful operation on conjoined twins whose hearts and livers were connected. Two nine-month-old Thai girls have been separated by a team of 61 medical staff, including five heart surgeons, at Bangkok's Siriraj hospital.
Panwad Tiyenjai and Pantawan Tiyenjai, who were born last June, had been joined from the top of their chests to the bottom of their abdomens, doctors at Siriraj hospital in Bangkok said.
Their condition was even more unusual because the upper chambers of their hearts were connected, with one pumping blood to the other, according to Dr Somchai Sriyoschati, a cardiac surgeon who took part in the procedure.
The operation on Pantawan and Panwad Thiyenjai took 12 hours. The dean for Siriraj's medical science faculty, Piyasakol Sakolsatayathorn, says both girls are recovering well.
The hospital delayed making an announcement until doctors were sure that the girls had a good chance of survival.
The girls were born by Caesarean section last June, and were connected from the top of their chests to the bottom of their abdomens.
Thailand, known as Siam until 1939, has a long history of famous conjoined twins. |
