Investigation on Siamese twins starts

by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi

Medical Consultants at the Lady Ridgeway Medical yesterday commenced investigations on the conjoined female twins, seeking to separate them.

Hospital's Director Dr. Wimal Jayantha said it will take several months to complete the investigations as it requires detailed analysis into the anatomical positions of the two infants' organs.

"We have to investigate their anatomical positions to order ascertain whether they are sharing the common vital organs before carrying out surgery to separate them," he stressed.

Dr. Jayantha said at present they are in good health. "There are no major problems at present.

They will have to wait for six to nine months to undergo surgery to separate them unless there is a real emergency." These conjoined female twins were born on April 21 at De Zoysa Hospital, Colombo and they were transferred to the Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital on Monday to explore the possibility of separating them.

Consultant surgeon Ranjan Dias is treating these twins.

Doctors say the twins are conjoined from the thorax and abdomen.