Brazilian Conjoined Twins With Fused Brains Successfully Separated Thanks To Advanced VR Technology

Brazilian twins who were conjoined at birth and were born with fused brains were successfully separated after a gruelling 33-hour-long procedure where doctors used virtual reality technology.

Conjoined twins with fused brains separated

According to Sky News, the three-year-old twins named Bernardo and Arthur Lima underwent seven surgeries in Rio de Janeiro, under the direction of paediatric surgeon Noor ul Owase Jeelani from London's Great Ormond Street Hospital.

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The procedure was led by Dr Jeelani alongside Dr Gabriel Mufarrej

For this procedure, about 100 medical staff were involved and surgeons spent months trying out techniques using virtual reality before beginning the real surgery. This procedure was led by Dr Jeelani alongside Dr Gabriel Mufarrej, head of paediatric surgery at Instituto Estadual do Cerebro Paulo Niemeyer.

Dr Jeelani called this procedure a "remarkable achievement" by medics. "The successful separation of Bernardo and Arthur is a remarkable achievement by the team in Rio and a fantastic example of why the work of Gemini Untwined is so valuable."

According to him, Gemini Untwined is a charity that relies on public donations to keep its work going. He added, "Not only have we provided a new future for the boys and their family, we have equipped the local team with the capabilities and confidence to undertake such complex work successfully again in the future."

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He added, "It is through this process of teamwork and knowledge-sharing globally that we can hope to improve the outcome for all children and families that find themselves in this difficult position. This is only possible through generous donations from members of the public."

Dr Mufarrej says: ¡°Since the parents of the boys came from their home in the Roraima region to Rio to seek our help two-and-a-half years ago, they had become part of our family here in the hospital. ¡°We are delighted that the surgery went so well and the boys and their family have had such a life-changing outcome.¡±

This was Mr Jeelani¡¯s sixth separation procedure with Gemini Untwined, after previously operating on twins from Pakistan, Sudan, Israel, and Turkey.

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Both the twin boys are recovering well in hospital and will be supported with six months of rehabilitation.

According to Gemini figures, one in 60,000 births results in conjoined twins, and only 5 per cent of these are craniopagus children.

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