22 July 2003

Korean conjoined twins, Ji Hye (Wisdom) and Sarang (Love) were admitted to Raffles Hospital on 19 July 2003 for separation surgery.

The four-month-old baby girls are joined at the pelvis and are medically classified as symmetrical ischiopagus tetrapod twins.

The separation surgery is undertaken by a multidisciplinary team of specialists from Raffles Hospital, with the help of around 50 medical support staff.

Leading the team are Dr Yang Ching Yu, Deputy Medical Director of Raffles Hospital, and Dr Keith Goh, consultant neurosurgeon, Raffles Hospital.

Members of the team include specialists in the field of neurosurgery, paediatric surgery, plastic surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, urology, orthopaedic surgery, paediatrics and anaesthesia. (See Annex 1)

Separation surgery is essential to enable the girls to walk and to develop as normal children.

Said Dr Yang, who is also a consultant colo-rectal surgeon: "The girls have to be separated at this stage because if we wait any longer, they may develop severe skull and spinal deformities."

"Without separation, they will never walk normally," added Dr Yang.

The twins were evaluated for surgery last month (June) at Raffles Hospital. They underwent a series of tests which included a CT scan, an MRI scan, a barium contrast study, an ultrasound doppler to see their blood flow and an echocardiogram to check their heart function.

Test results showed that even though some parts of their internal organs are fused, separation can still be carried out.

The parents of the twins then proceeded to seek a second opinion at the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London.

They then returned to Singapore and contacted Raffles Hospital a few days ago after making a decision to have Ji Hye and Sarang separated by the Raffles Hospital team.

The baby girls were admitted last Saturday (July 19) for final tests.

At 10.30 am this morning, they were wheeled into the operating theatre.

Separation surgery, which started at 1 pm, is expected to take between 6 and 8 hours.

For clarification, please contact:

Liang Hwee Ting (Ms)
Corporate Communications Manager
DID: (65) 6311 1312
Fax: (65) 6311 2383

Celine Ong (Ms)
Senior Executive
Corporate Communications
DID: (65) 6311 1318
Fax: (65) 6311 2383