Conjoined twins in Brazil: Doctors separate Arthur and Bernardo who were bandaged at the head

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After the operations: the parents stand at their children's bedside

Photo: ARTHUR PEREIRA / AFP

At first, says the neurosurgeon, nobody thought it was possible.

"Rescuing both was a historic achievement."

In a series of surgeries, doctors in Brazil have successfully separated conjoined twins joined at the head.

"It was the most difficult, complex and challenging operation of my career," said surgeon Gabriel Mufarrej from the IECPN Brain Center in Rio de Janeiro.

The three-year-old siblings from the northern Brazilian state of Roraima were so-called craniopagus twins.

That means they were connected at the head.

Separating them required a total of nine surgeries, the last of which lasted 23 hours.

The medical team had nearly 100 members.

The procedure was complicated by the fact that the twins shared important brain vessels.

The surgeons also used VR technology to prepare for the interventions.

Using brain scans, they created a kind of map of the heads of the twins Arthur and Bernardo and practiced the operations beforehand.

The British surgeon involved, Noor ul Owase Jeelani, spoke of "space" technology.

"It's just wonderful, it's great to see the anatomy and do the surgery virtually before the kids are put at any risk."

The boys are still recovering from the procedures and additional surgeries may be needed in the future.

kha/AFP