Riyadh: In implementation of the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the medical and surgical team of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, led by Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, began today the separation surgery of the Somali conjoined twins Rahma and Ramla at King Abdullah Specialist Children's Hospital in King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Dr. Al Rabeeah noted that the twins are 13 months old and arrived in the Kingdom on May 6, 2025. They are conjoined at the lower abdomen and pelvis, and each has two fully formed lower limbs. Precise medical examinations showed that they share the colon and rectum, with overlapping in the urinary and reproductive systems and a shared pelvic bone, following a series of specialized examinations and intensive meetings by the medical team.
He said that Ramla suffers from complete atrophy of both kidneys with total renal failure, which requires immediate dialysis after separation, while Rahma suffers from complete atrophy of the left kidney and cysts in the right kidney, which is currently functioning appropriately, requiring careful monitoring after the surgery to ensure the continuation of its function.
Dr. Al Rabeeah added that the expected risk rate reaches 40% due to the medical challenges associated with the case, noting that the surgery has been planned to be conducted in eight stages and is expected to last approximately 14 hours, with the participation of 36 consultants, specialists, and nursing and technical staff in the fields of anesthesia, pediatric surgery, pediatric urology surgery, orthopedic surgery, and plastic surgery.