Successful Separation of Ethiopian Conjoined Twins

A pair of 2-year-old conjoined twins from Ethiopia have seen each other face-to-face for the first time following a successful separation surgery at a children’s hospital in St. Louis. The twins, Hiyab and Wuhbto, were born with craniopagus, an extremely rare condition where they were joined at the head in opposite directions. This condition occurs in less than 6% of all conjoined twin cases, affecting roughly one in every 2.5 million live births, according to the National Library of Medicine.

For almost two years, the twins could hear but not see each other. Remaining conjoined posed significant health risks, as stated by the SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in a news release. The girls traveled from Ethiopia to Missouri in 2025, accompanied by a guardian, as their parents could not obtain visas. A team of around 30 specialists spent nearly a year preparing for the complex operation.

The surgery successfully took place in February, lasting 25 hours. Surgeons carefully separated shared blood vessels, with Dr. Joanna Kemp leading the team. Kemp, the first female neurosurgeon in the U.S. to perform such a procedure, noted that while the girls’ brains were mostly distinct, doctors had to manage sections where they were connected. Kemp described the moment the girls were separated as “quite wild,” seeing them even a few feet apart was a significant step.

Recently, Wuhbto underwent a successful cranioplasty to repair her skull. A similar procedure for Hiyab is scheduled for later this fall. The twins continue to receive care and rehabilitation at the Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in Maryland Heights, Missouri. Hospital officials aim to reunite Hiyab and Wuhbto with their family in Ethiopia as soon as possible.