The mother of rare conjoined twins says it felt like heaven to finally hold her babies in her arms after they were separated during an operation at Red Cross Hospital.
Ntombikayise Tyhalisi gave birth to her twin girls in the Eastern Cape on 30 January, but the children were joined at the head which caused major health issues.
They were transported to the Red Cross at just four days old.
Speaking to the Daily Voice on the phone on Tuesday, the 31-year-old mom said: “We were very worried when they were born because we thought they were going to die, but the doctors told us that they can take them away to Cape Town so that they can be helped.”
After the babies arrived, the surgery took place on 24 February, and although it was a tricky operation, it went smoothly.
Professor Tony Figaji, Head of Paediatric Neurosurgery at Red Cross, said the children, named Siphosethu and Amahle, were born with what is known as craniopagus twinning.
“It’s the rarest form of conjoined twinning,” the surgeon explains.
“We were fortunate in this case that the connection did not involve any shared brain tissue and didn’t involve major blood vessels going from one twin to the other.”
The professor added that craniopagus twinning only happens once in every 2.5 million births around the world.
Both babies are expected to make full recoveries from the surgery and their chances were helped by the fact that the surgery went off without a hitch.
Professor Saleigh Adams, Head of Plastic Surgery at the hospital, said: “We were prepared for at least a six-hour surgery, but on this occasion the surgery lasted all of one-and-a-half hours. This is a huge plus for the recovery of the twins.”
Following the surgery, Ntombikayise and her babies returned home.
“I am overjoyed! I wasn’t expecting to leave here holding my children one in each arm. I am so happy that they are both here and that they are healthy.”
The happy mother says the little girls will have to return to Cape Town soon for a check-up, but a date will only be confirmed once travel arrangements have been made.