Lucknow: ‘Parting’ of twins at KGMU brings cheer to family

LUCKNOW: Separating from a sibling is a painful experience, but this ‘parting’ sent cheers in the family. Ram and Shyam born as conjoined twins were discharged from KGMU on Sunday after full recovery following a successful separation surgery — a first in the medical university — on November 9. It was also one of its kind surgery performed under Ayushman Bharat Scheme.
The one-year-old twins, born to Priyanka and Chandan Kanaujia on November 6, 2019, in Kushinagar, were joined from thorax till abdomen.They were taken to BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, and were referred to KGMU where they were examined by paediatric surgeon Dr J D Rawat.
Investigations, including CT scan and MRI, showed the twins were joined at several layers, including organs like pericardium, diaphragm and liver. The parents were asked to wait for a year so that kids reach optimum age. The twins were admitted again on October 9, 2020. A team of super specialistswas formed under Prof S N Kureel, head of paediatrics surgery. A mock surgery was performed before the actual one. It was challenging for doctors to secure the airway control of both the kids simultaneously. During surgery, thorax with attached pericardium were separated and repaired. Then liver resection was performed through water jet scalpel using hydro-surgery technique.
Both children had to be intubated after the surgery. While Ram was extubated the next day, Shyam remained on mechanical ventilation for 10 days.
“It was a rare case. In more than 70% of such cases, kids die in-utero or immediately after birth. Very few such surgeries have been performed where both children have survived after the intervention and are healthy,” said KGMU vice-chancellor Lt Gen (retd) Dr Bipin Puri, who felicitated the team on Sunday.
Smiling ear to ear, the parents, Priyanka and Chandan, posed for photographs and thanked KGMU doctors for the feat. “Had this surgery been not done, life of the two kids would have always been uncertain and full of difficulties. Now they are not joined, but can stay happy together,” said Chandan.