A UK paediatric neurosurgeon who separated conjoined Brazilian twins Bernardo and Arthur Lima in one of the most complex surgical procedures ever performed has been reunited with them.
Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Professor Noor ul Owase Jeelani met up with the twins in Rio de Janeiro again earlier this year along with their parents Adriely and Antonio Lima and Dr Gabriel Mufarrej, who has looked after them at the Paulo Niemeyer State Brain Institute since they were born.
Professor Jeelani had not seen the children since they were separated at the age of three in June 2022.
The touching moment was broadcast by ITV’s Good Morning Britain programme.
During the broadcast, Professor Jeelani explained how the operation had been attempted several times before.
He said: “Our experience over the past 20 years, of having undertaken five previous sets of separation, gave us that level of knowledge and experience to be able to look at this difficult case. And certainly, in our opinion, that separation would be possible.”
Professor Jeelani said the twins were progressing well but added there was still a long way to go, as they learn to walk, and use their arms and legs separately.
He said: "We wish we’d been able to separate the boys a little earlier. There’s certainly enough evidence that states that if we achieve separation under the age of one, that recovery and rehabilitation is so much easier and quicker.
“So, the boys, although they are making good progress, still have lots of challenges."
In total, the twins have undergone seven operations in Rio de Janeiro with the final two procedures totalling 44 hours.
It was one of the most complex separation processes ever completed according to the charity Gemini Untwined which was founded by Professor Jeelani and funded the procedure.
Before the surgery, medics in London and Rio spent months trialling techniques using VR projections of the twins based on CT and MRI scans.
For the first time, surgeons in separate countries wore headsets and operated in the same virtual reality room together.
