Siamese-born twins celebrate their first birthday after separation surgery

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Twin brothers who were born to a union recently celebrated their first birthday after successful separation surgery.

Amari and Javar Ruffin, whose family lives in Philadelphia, were born by cesarean section on September 29, 2023. The brothers – who shared parts of their sternum, diaphragm, abdominal wall and liver – weighed a complete of 6 kilos.

On August 21, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia surgical team of greater than two dozen specialists, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, radiologists, nurses and lots of others, operated for eight hours to separate the boys. Their abdomens were closed and rebuilt using layers of mesh and plastic surgery techniques.

On Tuesday, the boys returned home to spend time with their parents, Tim and Shaneka, and their siblings, Kaylum and Anora.

“Seeing them each in their own beds was an indescribable feeling,” Shaneka Ruffin said. “I feel like we’re starting a brand new journey as a family of six. We are so grateful to CHOP for helping make this present day possible and allowing us to start our next chapter.

The Ruffins learned the twins had been conjoined during a routine ultrasound at 12 weeks of pregnancy. Shaneka Ruffin said she was advised to terminate her pregnancy. They obtained a second opinion and the hospital told them that although the boys had a rare disease, they might be separated successfully.

Conjoined twins occur roughly once every 35,000–80,000 births. The hospital is one in every of the few within the US that has specialized knowledge in separating them.