Conjoined twin sisters born with their hair attached in Israel have successfully completed a major surgery that lasted more than 12 hours and are now able to face each other.

According to the New York Times (NYT) and NBC on the 6th (local time), on the 1st, the separation surgery of conjoined twins with their heads was successfully performed at Soroka University Hospital in Beerseva, southern Israel, with the participation of 50 medical staff.

Dr. Mickey Gideon, director of the Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Soroka Hospital, who performed the surgery, said it was a “rare and complex operation” and that it was “the first separation surgery in Israel.”

He said, “It was a moment of crying and laughing with my family. For the first time, families can hold their babies separately,” she said, adding, “I expect the twins to fully recover.”

Isaac Lazar, director of the pediatric intensive care unit, said, “A single mistake could cost the lives of the twins. I kept in mind that even a small bleeding can have a fatal outcome because the main blood vessels are flowing to the surgical site,” he said, adding, “When the nurses put the separated babies on the same bed, they made eye contact with each other and babbled. It was a beautiful moment.”

The surgery was performed based on the opinions of specialists in various fields such as neurosurgery, plastic surgery, pediatric intensive care, and brain imaging.

In addition, two specialists from London and New York who have experience in separating conjoined twins also participated in the surgery.

Dr. Noulul Owase Zilani, a pediatric neurosurgeon from London, said, “The surgery went well,” and “I am happy that the children, their families, and the Israeli team have achieved good results.”

Dr. Zilani, founder of Gemini Untwin, a charity that separated five conjoined twins, added, “I hope that sharing knowledge around the world can bring good results to all children and families in these difficult situations.”

The conjoined twins, who underwent separation surgery this time, were born in August last year with the back and sides of their heads attached.

The medical team observed the twins’ condition for several months and went through months of preparation for surgery. In addition, the best way to separate bones, blood vessels, and meninges was accurately simulated through three-dimensional (3D) and virtual reality (VR) models.

The twins were also given skin and tissue expanders to cover the separated area after surgery, and artificial bones were also created.

The father of the twins, who requested anonymity, said, “They can see, they can eat,” and “everything is fine, hands and feet.”

He continued, “I was worried that the surgery would not help the babies,” and added, “This is the first time I have held the children one by one. It’s touching.”