MANILA – A pair of Filipino conjoined twins, Klea Ann and Maurice Ann Misa, have been successfully separated after undergoing a delicate and high-risk surgery in Saudi Arabia on April 23.
According to the Saudi Embassy in Manila, the operation lasted 13 hours and required the expertise of numerous specialists, highlighting the case as among the most complicated worldwide.
Following the procedure, the twins’ mother shared her deep gratitude and joy, noting that the outcome gives her children a renewed chance at living normal, independent lives.
The surgery was carried out under the direction of Saudi leaders King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The twins had traveled to Riyadh in May 2025, where they were admitted to King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital for extensive evaluations leading up to the operation.
Medical team head Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah said the difficulty of the case stemmed from the twins’ shared cranial structures, including connected brain tissues and blood vessels.
The situation was further complicated by serious health issues affecting one of the twins, including heart weakness and complete kidney failure.
Chief surgeon Dr. Muatasim Al-Zoubi led the operation, which was completed in five phases with the assistance of around 30 medical professionals from different specialties.
Prior to surgery, the team assessed the chances of success at around 50 percent.
This milestone adds to the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program’s track record, marking its 70th successful separation surgery.
ia/xf
