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September 06, 2021

Anna Murray 

Israeli doctors have successfully separated twins who were conjoined at the head for the first time. Conjoined twins who were recently separated at Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba, Be'er Sheva, are expected to lead completely normal lives following the 12-hour life-or-death surgery on September 2. The babies were born in August of 2020.

The medical team, on the other hand, had been preparing for the procedure for some time. 3D models for doctors to practice on were created thanks to cutting-edge Israeli technology. Hundreds of hours of planning also ensured that everything went as planned. They used STRATASYS and 3D4OP 3D models based on MRI, CT, and angiography scan images to simulate the twins' blood vessels, meninges, skull bones, and skin. Using the VR model Surgical Theater, the team was able to simulate and plan the procedure precisely. Each model was subjected to dozens of simulations of all stages of the procedure prior to surgery.

Doctors divided into two teams and worked in two separate operating rooms to reconstruct each of the girls' skulls and close the skin after a 12-hour separation surgery. This included neurosurgery, plastic surgery, pediatric anesthesia, pediatric intensive care, and brain imaging specialists. The twins were transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) after the operation, where they were ventilated and sedated.

According to a study published in 2020 by the University of California's UC Davis Health, craniopagus twins occur in about one out of every 2.5 million births. Dr. Shlomo Kodesh, Director of the Soroka University Medical Center, thanks all of the specialists who participated in this difficult and complex event.