NEW DELHI: The AIIMS has acknowledged the significant contribution of renowned Japanese neurosurgeon Dr Katsumi Takizawa, who assisted a medical team that separated conjoined twins Jagga and Balia in the first such case in India.
Both the twins were born with a rare condition craniopagus. Nine consecutive surgeries were conducted on these twins from Odisha’s Kandhamal district. They were admitted in AIIMS on 14 July, 2017 and discharged on 6 September, 2019.
After the Union health ministry had sought a detailed report over the contribution of Japanese doctor in which 10 questions were raised, the AIIMS acknowledged the contribution of the Japanese doctor in the first surgery but added that he was not present during the second surgery when the twins were separated.
The report highlights his (Dr Takizawa) work and acknowledges the work that he had done during the first surgery which was conducted on 28 August, 2017. He was, however, not present during the second surgery where the final head separation of the twins was done,” read the AIIMS report.
The Morning Standard has a copy of the report.“The total duration of the first surgery was 25 hours, which included 5 hours of induction time. The two children were given Anaesthesia at 04:45 AM. Then incision was made at 10:55 AM by plastic surgery and neurosurgery team together. He scrubbed for surgery around 1 PM and remained scrubbed for 12 hours (1 PM to 1 AM) approximate of which 8 hours (479 minutes) were spent by him on venous bypass,” stated the report.
The AIIMS has claimed that the questions challenging that the institute did not give the credit to Dr Takizawa’s contribution is “frivolous and malicious”. Its confirms that Dr Takizawa stayed in India for four days and was hosted by the institute at Hyatt Regency and was acknowledged in the press conference that was held after the first surgery.
In response to the allegation that Dr Takizawa conducted the surgery without a sip of water, the report underlined that “no one in the neurosurgical team ate anything during the entire surgery which is the normal practice in all operations.”
It also mentioned that Dr Takizawa, who was invited by the AIIMS’ Department of Neurosurgery, was felicitated and duly acknowledged by the department head.
After their exhaustive surgeries at AIIMS, Jagga and Balia are availing medical treatment at SCB Cuttack Medical College in Odisha.