Conjoined twins Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf were undergoing a lengthy and complicated separation operation today in London.
The four-month-old twins, who live with their parents Angie and Azzedine in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, are having the surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.
The surgery got underway at 8.30am and was expected to last about 20 hours. The twins were admitted to hospital yesterday having spent the last few weeks in London with their parents and siblings Malika and Iman.
A spokeswoman for the hospital confirmed the surgery was taking place today. “The hospital and the family do not plan to make any announcement on the case before Thursday morning at the earliest, but will not commit to specific times for any updates.
“Angie and Azzedine Benhaffaf would like to thank all the hospitals involved in their boys’ care for everything they have done for the family so far, and the public for their good wishes and support.”
Ms Benhaffaf has appealed to the Irish public to pray for her boys. “Now as they face this critical operation, we renew our appeal for everyone’s thoughts and prayers which will help sustain our boys and our whole family at this most important time.”
The twins were born at University College Hospital in London in December. Leading the surgical team for their separation is Cork-born paediatric surgeon Edward Kiely. Mr Kiely said the survival rate at the hospital for planned separations, where the children are stable and separation can be done at a suitable time, is about 80 per cent and under these circumstances both twins usually survive and have a good quality of life.
The twins are conjoined at the chest area but don’t share any vital organs, making separation possible. The care of the boys has been shared between Cork University Maternity Hospital and Great Ormond Street hospital.
Fundraising is continuing for the family. The Little Fighters fund account is at the Permanent TSB’s Patrick Street branch in Cork: sort code 99-07-03 and account no: 16556196.