UAE: Girl, 1, has conjoined organs separated successfully
Complex six-hour operation removes rare deformities in child’s private parts
Sharjah: The medical staff at Al Qassimi Women's and Children’s Hospital in Sharjah have successfully performed a complex surgery to separate a one-year-old girl’s conjoined organs.
The patient was admitted to the hospital, an affiliate of Emirates Health Services (EHS), suffering from rare deformities in the urethra, vagina, and anus. Tests also revealed she was suffering from deformities in the urinary tract, with kidneys not being in their normal place. Following a thorough study of the case, the medical team at the Hospital set an integrated treatment plan, and as a result, the complex surgery was performed, lasting for six hours, during which the medical team was able to successfully separate the organs.
The child was discharged from the hospital a week after the surgery.
Dr Essam Al Zarouni, Acting Executive Director of the Medical Services Sector at EHS, said: “In a short period of time, the health facilities affiliated with Emirates Health Services have achieved notable milestones, especially in the field of rare and complex surgeries. This stems from EHS’ commitment to developing its medical facilities and enhancing its capabilities by adopting technologies, smart solutions, and advanced devices to serve patients, in addition to enlisting qualified and specialised medical professionals to handle various cases.”
Dr Safia Al Klhaja, director of Al Qassimi Women’s and Children’s Hospital, said: “The Hospital’s administration is always committed to attracting doctors with advanced experience and qualifications in various medical specialities, in addition to constantly providing the hospital with the latest technologies necessary to deal with complex medical cases."
Rare deformities
Dr Khalid Khalfan Bin Sabet, Consultant, Paediatric Surgeon, and Medical Director of Al Qasimi Women’s and Children’s Hospital, said: The deformities that the patient suffered from are rare, affecting one child out of every 25,000. These congenital anomalies are discovered during childbirth, when doctors detect only one opening that combines the urethra, vagina, and anus. Temporary external anastomoses are typically made from the colon to facilitate the excretion process before beginning the surgery, and are then usually closed a few months after the surgery.”