Conjoined twin separation surgery sets Vietnam record

The Ho Chi Minh City Children’s Hospital has been certified for a Vietnam record in the field of health due to its successful surgery separating the conjoined twins Truc Nhi and Dieu Nhi.

The Vietnam Records Organization presented a certificate validating the Vietnam record on Wednesday, when a ceremony was held to announce the release of the twins from the hospital.

The pediatric hospital received the certificate that reads: “Complicated major surgery case involving the largest number of doctors in Vietnam for a case of separation of two Siamese sisters joined by the pelvic abdomen.”

The organization also granted badges to three doctors in the surgical team, including Dr. Truong Quang Dinh, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Children’s Hospital, Dr. Phan Van Tiep from Trans-Asia General Hospital, and Ta Thuy Hang, head of the surgery-resuscitation anesthesia department under the Ho Chi Minh City Children’s Hospital.

At the ceremony, the hospital along with four units and 60 individuals also received a certificate of merit from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health.

In late July, a number of departments and 35 medical experts of the hospital were presented with certificates of merit from the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee for their performance in the surgery to separate Truc Nhi and Dieu Nhi.

In addition, the family of the twins got VND1.5 billion ($64,655) from donors, after the hospital bill of VND668 million ($28,794) and the advance for post-surgery care service of over VND218 million ($9,397) had been paid.

Truc Nhi and Dieu Nhi were born conjoined at the pelvis. 

The twins’ condition was first found when doctors performed an ultrasound on the mother during pregnancy.

Classified as a pair with an extremely rare condition, the twins prompted a crew of around 100 practitioners from major Vietnamese hospitals for their separation surgery back in July.