KNH: Hope, Uncertainty as Conjoined Twins Who Share Intestine Begin Delicate Surgery
- Two newborn conjoined twins delivered in Naivasha are now under specialised care at Kenyatta National Hospital
- The babies, joined at the abdomen and pelvis, have already undergone emergency surgery to save their lives
- As doctors fight to stabilise them, Kenyans are rallying with prayers and hope for their fragile journey ahead.
- Meanwhile, their parent find themselves at the centre of a medical battle few can imagine
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Nairobi – In a story that has touched hearts across the country, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is caring for a pair of conjoined twins born last week in Naivasha.
Source: Facebook
The babies, delivered via caesarean section on August 13 at Naivasha County Hospital, weighed a combined 3.6 kilograms at birth before being urgently transferred to KNH for specialised care.
How are the Naivasha twins conjoined?
An officer from the hospital told TUKO.co.ke that the babies arrived at the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at 3 am on August 14.
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Doctors quickly confirmed that the infants were conjoined at the abdomen and pelvis, and they were born without rear openings.
Faced with a life-threatening intestinal obstruction, KNH’s paediatric surgical specialists acted swiftly.
On August 17, they performed an emergency colostomy, a delicate procedure that created an opening to allow the passage of stool.
What's the state of Naivasha conjoined twins?
Further examinations have since revealed that the twins share a single large intestine, are battling congenital heart disease, and have impaired liver function and a mild blood infection.
A multidisciplinary team of surgeons, neonatologists, cardiologists, anaesthesiologists, and psychologists is working around the clock to stabilise their condition.
A statement by KNH indicates that theatre assistants, biomedical engineers, and dedicated nurses also played critical roles in the operation.
As of now, hospital officials say the twins are stable but remain under close monitoring in the PICU.
Source: Facebook
Uncertain future for conjoined twins
The KNH officer indicated that the names of both the parents and their twins have not been released to the public to protect their identities.
This is because the babies are expected to be long-stay patients since some surgeries have to wait for some organs to grow.
"We have a strict patient dignity and confidentiality law followed by the Data Protection Act," she reiterated. "Also because of stigma and cultural beliefs, they have to be protected."
The journey ahead for the twin babies is uncertain, but the commitment of Kenya’s largest referral hospital offers the family a glimmer of hope.
For the parents, who have suddenly found themselves at the centre of a medical battle few can imagine, the situation is overwhelming. Yet, in the corridors of KNH, a quiet determination fills the air.
The tiny twins, joined in body but fighting as one, have already brought together a team of Kenya’s finest medical minds, united in the mission to give them a chance at life.
Parents of formerly conjoined twins unite with them
In an unrelated story, one-year-old twin brothers, Amari and Javar Ruffin, were born conjoined at the abdomen.
Details indicate that the twins were discovered conjoined during a routine ultrasound when Shaneka was 12 weeks pregnant.
They were successfully separated in an 8-hour high-risk surgery that left their parents, Tim and Shaneka, living on the edge.
After the surgery, the parents expressed overwhelming joy and relief upon seeing their sons for the first time post-surgery.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
