Indonesian conjoined twins separated

A team of medical specialists successfully separated conjoined twins, Wanda and Wandi, in a less than six hour surgery at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung, West Java, on Monday.

"The twins were successfully separated at 11:43 a.m. The time of the surgery was shorter than expected," team deputy head U. Kaswiyan, an anesthesiologist, said after the surgery.

"We need a week to see the development of their condition. We will be watching their condition every hour after this surgery. They are currently able to breathe normally," Kaswiyan said.

Pediatric surgeon Bustanul Arifin Nawas said that the operation began by separating the chests and belly buttons.

"Their hearts were conjoined, but not with their alimentary canals and kidneys," Bustanul said.

Hospital executive director Bayu Wahyudi said that the operation had been prepared over the past year. More than 150 medical personnel, including 68 specialists, have been involved in the surgery to separate the twins, which started at 9 a.m.

Wanda and Wandi, 17-month-old twins of couple Dede Amung Sunarya, 27, and Lina Marwati, 22, residents of Ciroyom village, Bandung regency, have been treated at the hospital since they were born.

Lina expressed her happiness after being informed that the operation was a success.

"I hope they will recover soon. I can hardly wait to take care of them at home," she said.