MEDICAL BAG

TWINS SEPARATED

Surgeons at the Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba, Israel, have separated one-year-old conjoined twins who were connected by the back of the head. The twin girls, who have not been named, were separated in a 12-hour operation that involved dozens of experts from Israel and elsewhere. Such a separation has only been performed on 20 occasions and this was the first time it had been done in Israel. To carry out the operation, the surgeons created a 3D virtual reality model of the girls to map out every move, and implanted inflatable silicone bags beneath the girls’ scalps. These were gradually expanded to stretch the skin so that there was enough available to cover their heads after their skulls had been reconstructed. The operation was a complete success, with both girls breathing and eating on their own. The twins are expected to be able to lead completely normal lives as individuals.

In October,