These sisters were born conjoined at the head 😨 They shared a skull, and the separation surgery could have gone very badly. 😢
When the girls turned 3, doctors decided to separate them. The operation lasted 14 hours and was successful. 😍 Now their parents can hug each daughter individually. 💖 Curious how the sisters look now? Their post-separation photos are shown in the first comment ⬇️⬇️
Manal and Mirhi were born in Pakistan with an extremely rare condition — they were conjoined at the head. The girls shared a skull and a complex network of blood vessels, making their case particularly challenging.
Such births occur in approximately 1 in 60,000 newborns, and only a few children survive to the age when surgery becomes possible.
When Manal and Mirhi turned three, their parents, together with the doctors, made a life-changing decision — to attempt to separate the daughters.
For this, they were transferred to Ankara, to Bilkent City Hospital, where an international team was responsible for preparing and performing the surgery.
The doctors already had experience with successful separations of similar twins, which made treating the girls possible.
The preparation took several months: using mixed reality technology, three-dimensional models of the twins’ skulls and brains were created, allowing the surgeons to meticulously plan every step.
The surgery took place in two stages, with the final part lasting more than 14 hours. The doctors had to carefully separate the brain membranes and vascular system, and then reconstruct the skulls of both girls.
Despite the enormous risk, the surgery was successful. Within a few days, Manal and Mirhi began breathing on their own and responding to their surroundings.
Doctors note that their recovery is progressing faster than expected and predict a full life for them. Currently, the girls are undergoing rehabilitation, gradually learning to sit and move independently from each other.
For the parents, this is a true miracle — for the first time, they can hold each daughter separately in their arms.
