Three days after undergoing complicated head-separation surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), conjoined twins Jagannath and Balram Kanhara remain critical.
Insiders from the premier institute revealed that post surgery, the twins are still unconscious while Jagannath’s heart is not working normally.
‘Jagannath has developed a kidney issue and undergoing dialysis. Balram’s body is totally swelled up. Both the twins are still sick and on ventilator support for now and unconscious. They have still not opened up their eyes,’ sources said.
Toddlers Jagannath and Balram Kanhara following surgery to separate their heads
Doctors at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) operated on the twins last week following earlier surgery in August to partially separate their brains
It the first surgery in India in which doctors have attempted to separate twins joined by their heads.
In medical terms, babies born with the deformity are known as craniopagus conjoined twins – an extremely rare condition found in one of 2.5 million births.
Dr Arti Vig, media protocol chairperson at AIIMS, said: ‘Jagannath and Balram will have to stay in ICU for seven to 10 days or longer depending upon their need. The toddlers are recovering slowly.
‘Jagga is showing response to some command and on dialysis to support his compromised kidney function.’
It’s the first case of its kind at AIIMS
They are looked after by neuroanaesthetists and neurosurgeons 24/7 and get dedicated support from an paediatric intensive care specialist, paediatric cardiologist, paediatirc neuro and nephorologists, she said.
Last Wednesday, AIIMS operated on the two-years-five-months-old twins from Kandhamal district in Odisha in surgery lasting 16 hours.
Dr AK Mahapatra, chief of the neuroscience centre and Dr Deepak Gupta (neurosurgeon) are supervising the case along with plastic surgeons and paediatric doctors from various specialities.
Multiple surgeries needed to be carried out to separate the twins
For now, doctors at AIIMS are keeping their fingers crossed and are hoping for the twins to make a full recovery and live a normal life.
‘Blood is being transfused in them and their condition is stable,’ the doctor said on Sunday.
A team of around 30 specialists from the institute’s neurosurgery, neuroanaesthesia and plastic surgery departments performed the marathon surgery.
The twins’ mother is hopeful for a life-changing outcome after their separation surgery. Despite the successful separation, the next crucial 18 days will determine the overall success, according to AIIMS director Randeep Guleria. The medical team expressed concerns about the survival of one twin. In the initial 24-hour surgery phase in August, AIIMS experts partially separated the twins’ brains, creating a venous bypass. Globally, only about 50 attempts have been made to separate such twins since 1952, with a success rate below 25 percent.