Conjoined Twins Who Share One Heart Born In West Bank; Father Seeks Funds For Surgical Separation
Conjoined twin sisters who share a heart were born in the West Bank, according to The National, an English newspaper in the United Arab Emirates.
The newborns, Acil and Hadil, and their Palestinian mother are reported to be in good health. The sisters are joined at the waist and share a single heart and circulatory system, medics told The National.
The girls’ father, Anwar Zyadat, is hoping to have the twins separated and launched a search for funds to pay for the expensive procedure abroad, since it is not possible to do in Palestine. Most Palestinians receive their medical treatment in Israel.
"We don't know who can help, perhaps private donors, though no one has approached us so far," Zyadat said, according to The National.
Surgical separation is a risky procedure. The success of it depends on where the twins are joined, how many and which organs are shared, and the experience of the surgical team, Mayo Clinic states.
Since 1950, at least one twin has survived surgical separation about 75 percent of the time, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
If successfully separated, the twins will most likely need to go through intensive rehab because of the deformities of their spines.
See also: Twins Conjoined At The Head Set To Undergo Rare, Potentially Dangerous Separation
The Curious Life Of Conjoined Twins: How Sharing A Body Changes The Way They Think, Drive, And Date