After struggling to find help at other hospitals, the
two-year-old boy’s family from Beitbridge finally found the treatment he
needed, freeing him from the “parasitic” twin.
A parasitic twin is a type of conjoined twin where one
foetus stops developing, but remains attached to its twin. The other twin
continues to develop, but is usually born with the limbs, organs or other
tissue structures from its parasitic twin still attached.
In this case, the partially developed conjoined twin had a
head, bones, stomach, pancreas and loops of bowel to the rectum and was fused
to the boy’s liver but with separate gallbladders.
This development comes as the team is preparing for a
second set of fully developed conjoined twins who are scheduled for surgery in
the coming weeks.
The operation, which is expected to take approximately 36
hours, will involve a team of over 100 medical professionals, and is considered
to be a complex and challenging procedure.
“The operation took about
four hours and our young patient is recovering well,” team leader Dr
Kudzayi Munanzvi said.
“The parasitic twin had what looked like a head, some bone,
a stomach, pancreas loops of bowel to rectum. It also had a liver which was
fused into the young boy’s liver but with separate gallbladders.”
“The boy and his family are originally from Beitbridge and
had been seeking help at local hospitals, but were ultimately referred to
Bulawayo Central Hospital, where they also did not receive the necessary
treatment.
“I think someone suggested that they come to Harare, where
they were able to receive the care they needed,” she said.
Other members of Dr Munanzvi’s medical team were Dr
Precious Mutambanengwe, with Dr Brighton Muchini serving as an anaesthetist,
Sister Memory Zvikaramba and Sister Shangwa as nurses.
The junior doctors included Dr Munyaradzi Nhare and Dr
Chigova.
The team collaborated to ensure the safety and success of
the surgery.
Dr Munanzvi said it took them close to a month to do
thorough investigation of what needed to be done.
“From the stomach, the pancreas, the small intestine, the
large intestine, we noticed that the liver from the boy and the parasitic twin
were also joined and the parasitic twin also had its own set of lungs but there
was no heart.
“We managed to separate all the things that belonged to the
parasitic twin and we left what belonged to the young boy in his own abdomen.”
She also revealed that the boy was now recuperating adding
that his mother was very excited since there was a lot of stigma around the
twins.
“The boy is recovering well. He is actually in the ward and
he is not in the Intensive Care Unit. He is feeding and the mom is very happy.
“The mom was so happy because she was having a lot of
challenges with the boy at home. There was a little stigma from the surrounding
community.
“Right now he’s
eating and he is talking and playing. He is quite a happy young young boy.”
The mother could not comment on the development.
This operation reflects the advancement in medical science
and the unwavering determination of healthcare professionals in Zimbabwe to
change lives for the better.
“Separation of conjoined twins is always a formidable
undertaking but the specialists that are available in the country have the
necessary skill set and expertise to ensure a successful outcome.
“ The first set of conjoined twins that we separated is
already in Grade Three,” Dr Munanzvi said.
In 2021, Zimbabwean paediatric surgeons successfully
separated conjoined twin three-month old girls, in a complex 18-hour operation
at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital.
Anotidaishe and Atipaishe were joined at the
abdominal-pelvic region, sharing a liver and some parts of their intestines,
making the operation complex.
On July 29, 2014, a team of about 50 local health workers
left an indelible mark in the history of the country’s medical sector following
the successful separation of two conjoined twins from Murehwa District in
Mashonaland East province. Herald
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