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Conjoined Yemeni twins Abdullah and Abdul Rahman who were separated after nine-hours in surgery in Saudi capital Riyadh. Image Credit: Supplied

Manama: A Saudi team has succeeded in separating conjoined Yemeni twins Abdullah and Abdul Rahman after a nine-hour surgery in the capital Riyadh.

The multi-disciplinary medical team was headed by former Health Minister Dr Abdullah Al Rabeeah, and comprised consultants in anaesthesiology, paediatric, orthopaedic, plastic surgery and urinary tract surgery as well as nurses, local daily Al Madinah reported.

The delicate surgery King Abdul Aziz Medical City was carried out in nine stages and the twins are reportedly doing fine at the paediatric intensive care.

Reports said that doctors had discovered that the twins shared organs, including the intestines, and carried the surgery in nine stages.

The hospital spokesperson was quoted as saying that the twins’ bowels as well as their urinary systems and the pelvic bones needed to be separated.

Once the separation stage was over, the surgeons worked on reconstructing them, he reportedly said.

The conjoined twins separation surgery was the 35th to be carried out in Saudi Arabia since 1990. According to records, twins from 18 countries benefited from the Saudi expertise in the field.