Surgical teams at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) in Abu Dhabi have completed the separation of craniopagus twins from Nigeria, marking the first procedure of its kind in the GCC region. The 15-month-old girls, Mercy and Goodness, were born with their heads joined at the top, with fused skulls and intertwined brain tissue and blood vessels.
Surgical timeline and multidisciplinary input
The separation was achieved over six months and four surgeries, involving more than 60 doctors and clinicians drawn from the UAE, UK, Brazil and Nigeria. The team comprised neurosurgeons, craniofacial surgeons, paediatricians, anaesthetists, nurses, radiologists and rehabilitation therapists. Gemini Untwined, a charity specialising in the research and treatment of craniopagus twins, coordinated clinical input and helped bring relevant expertise to Abu Dhabi.
The surgical team was led by Professor Noor Ul Owase Jeelani MBE, founder of Gemini Untwined and a consultant paediatric neurosurgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH). He described the case as “a rare and remarkable triumph – a testament to what’s possible when courage, compassion, and cutting-edge technology come together.”
Technology and planning methods
Planning and execution drew on imaging technology, augmented reality simulation and 3D printing, enabling the team to map the twins’ vascular and neural systems collaboratively across multiple countries using a shared virtual reality environment. Coordination with Gemini Untwined also supported mixed reality-guided implant design and AI-enhanced surgical planning, underpinned by modelling carried out at the Zayed Centre for Research, Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Gravity-assisted brain protection combined with gradual tissue expansion is reported to have contributed to what is described as the fastest recorded separation of vertically conjoined twins.
Post-operative reconstruction and recovery
Following separation, the twins’ skulls were reconstructed using custom 3D-printed titanium grafts. Mercy and Goodness are now reported to be recovering in the UAE, undergoing ongoing rehabilitation to develop motor skills and adapt to independent movement, ahead of an eventual return to Nigeria.
Institutional and governmental response
The procedure was carried out under the supervision of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Her Excellency Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, said the case was “more than a medical milestone; it is a story of compassion, courage, and global collaboration.”
His Excellency Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said the outcome reflected “the emirate’s pioneering capabilities, advanced infrastructure and notable medical competencies.”
Farhan Malik, Founder and Managing Director of PureHealth Group, noted that teams worked continuously across the preoperative, operative and post-operative phases, including 24-hour monitoring, and thanked the teams from SKMC, Gemini Untwined, and surgical and care colleagues from the UK, Brazil and Nigeria.
