Raipur, May 29
In the fourth such surgery in the country, doctors today successfully separated ten-month-old conjoined male twins, who are joined at the stomach, after an operation at the Raipur Medical College hospital.

"The babies - Ram and Lakshman - are doing well after the five-hour operation. All health parameters are ok. We see a good chance of their survival," said Dr Ashok Sharma, head of the department of surgery. Sharma headed the team of doctors that performed the rare operation giving a new lease of life to the twins born to poor parents.

During the surgery, the liver, pancreas and the sternum (breastbone) were separated, Dr Sharma said. No complications were reported during the operation.

Both the babies shared common liver and pancreas along with some other portions of the body, but fortunately their heart and urinary organs were separate, Dr M.P. Pujhari, deputy superintendent of the hospital said.

"Since the bodies of the twins are joined, the doctors are facing problems in administering anaesthesia keeping in mind that some of their organs function in a combined manner,” Pujhari said before the operation.

The team of doctors that performed the operation included five senior physicians and three anaesthetists. — PTI