Bhubaneswar/Dhenkanal: At a time when Odisha is set to welcome the separated conjoined twins Jaga and Kalia back home, another conjoined twins were born in the State today. The twin girls conjoined at chest to stomach were born to a woman from Khalapala village, at Dhenkanal district headquarters hospital. Though initially the health condition of both the infants was stable, they were shifted to Sishu Bhawan, Cuttack for further treatment.
When the Superintendent at Sishu Bhawan informed that the twins share one heart, the parents were left in a state of shock. The babies are currently under observation in the New born ward at Advance Care and Research Centre, Cuttack.
An ultrasound was done earlier but nothing sort of this was found, said the father.
"The infants together weighing 4.5 kg are conjoined at chest to stomach. So far, the respiratory process is normal," informed Dr SK Bhol, ADMO, Dhenkanal DHH.
Though situation remains critical amid concerns over their separation, the Sishu Bhawan Superintendent has informed that a special team will be formed for further treatment of the twins.
"Preliminary reports clearly suggest that the conjoined twins share one heart. In such a case, it is not possible to begin treatment so early. Usually, separation becomes almost impossible when twins share one heart. Even the surgery is very difficult with low success rate," says Dr Saroj Satapathy, Superintendent, Sishu Bhawan.
On the other hand, Jaga and Kalia (born with their heads joined) are likely to return to Odisha during Rath Yatra festival. The twins are under the treatment of a team of specialist doctors at AIIMS, New Delhi since their separation in a marathon 12-hour surgery in October 2017. The state government will make the required arrangements for shifting of the twins and a medical team of AIIMS, New Delhi will accompany them during it, informed managing director of National Health Mission, Odisha, Shalini Pandit during her recent visit to AIIMS, Delhi.