The Separation of Conjoined Twins Elizabeth and Mary

Elizabeth and Mary were born in Cameroon in July, joined at the hip. They shared far more than skin and bone: parts of the spine and spinal cord, the urinary and digestive tracts, the urogenital system and neurovascular structures were connected between the two sisters.

After an extensive search for a centre able to take on the case, the twins were brought to Acibadem Altunizade Hospital when they were nine months old. What followed was seven months of diagnosis and preparation: physicians from many departments and a large team of healthcare professionals mapped exactly which structures the sisters shared and planned how each would be divided and reconstructed.

The separation surgery lasted 27 hours and was successful. It was followed by post-operative treatment and recovery under the same multidisciplinary team, until the sisters — by then 16 months old — were ready to be discharged as two physically independent babies.

Conjoined twins are rare, and every pair is different: the shared organs, the blood supply and the order of reconstruction have to be worked out for each case, which is why months of imaging, testing and planning precede the operation itself. The documentary above follows that whole journey.

Pediatric surgery at Acibadem brings together the specialties complex cases need. Families can request a medical opinion for a child’s case before travelling.