New Delhi: The conjoined twins of Kandhamal Jaga-Kalia were discharged from the Operation Theatre (OT) this morning after the plastic surgery was completed at around last midnight.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik heaped praise on a team of doctors at New Delhi's AIIMS for successfully separating craniopagus (joined at the head) infant twins.
"Glad to learn of successful separation of Jaga Kalia at #AIIMS . Congrats to the doctors' team. Pray to Lord Jagannath for speedy recovery," Patnaik said in a tweet.
"Now, they have been kept in the ICU and will remain under the direct observation of the experts for 72 hours. Their condition is stable now. The State government is in constant touch with the AIIMS authorities. An official from State Health department has been posted in Delhi to look into the affairs of the twins," Health Minister Pratap Jena said.
Neuro experts said the risk during operation is over now but the post operative risks are still there. "There is no operative risk now. The problems like infection, electrolytes imbalance may arise in post-operative period. The doctors are monitoring the situation every hour. I expect their smooth recovery in next two to three days," Neuro expert Sanatan Rath from Cuttack said.
The craniopagus twins - joined at the head - were separated after a successful marathon surgery that lasted around 11 hours at the AIIMS in Delhi on Wednesday.
A team of 30 doctors from various departments, including neurosurgery, neuro-anesthesia and pediatrics, were on the medical team that completed the second phase surgery on the twins.
The second phase surgery was done before scheduled time as Jaga's health had deteriorated.
The conjoined twins were taken to AIIMS on July 14 from Milipada village in Kandhamal district of Odisha. The first phase of the surgery was done on August 28, which included experts from Japan as well. As part of the first phase operation, a new bypass technique was used for the first time on the twins.
Ashok Mohapatra, chief of neurosciences centre of AIIMS, earlier had said the twins suffer from a condition that afflicts one in 30 lakh children, of which 50 per cent die either at birth or within 24 hours.
Surgery is feasible only on 25 per cent of the survivors while the rest continue to live with the condition.
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