http://www.easybourse.com/bourse-ac...ill-considering-indian-twins-operation-653667
Singapore Doctor Still Considering Indian Twins' Operation
Monday April 20th, 2009 / 11h22
SINGAPORE (AFP)--A prominent Singapore doctor said Monday it was "premature" to rule out an operation to separate Indian twin sisters joined at the head despite a warning from his own country's health minister.
Neurosurgeon Keith Goh, who had been asked by the state government of Andhra Pradesh in India to separate five-year-old twins Vani and Veena, said he was still in discussions with doctors and officials in Hyderabad on the case.
Goh said he would not be able to confirm any surgery until more thorough investigations had been carried out.
But he disagreed with published remarks by Singapore's Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan cautioning that an operation is more likely to harm the patients than improve their situation.
"I think that Mr. Khaw is entitled to his opinion...but that it is a little too premature to close our minds to the possibility of doing such an operation, especially when the full evaluation and all the investigations have not been done," Goh told AFP.
He also disagreed that separating conjoined twins amounted to changing the course of nature.
"Nature never intended for any of us, humans or animals, to be conjoined to another individual," said Goh.
The Indian twins "represent a most extreme form of congenital malformation and deformity, and should be considered an aberration of what nature intended," he said.
"If such patients ask for help to correct their abnormalities, I feel that we, as doctors, owe it to them to see what we can do."
Health Minister Khaw said in remarks carried Monday by the Straits Times that in certain situations, it may be better not to operate on conjoined twins.
He also said that in some cases, surgeons have to pick one twin to die in order to save the other, and the survivor is often left with brain damage.
In 2001, Goh was involved in a 97-hour operation that separated 11-month-old Nepalese twins Ganga and Jamuna Shrestha, who were born with fused skulls.
The surgery left Ganga with brain damage and Jamuna unable to walk. It also left a hole in Jamuna's skull covered only by a layer of skin.
Ganga survived for seven years before dying last year from respiratory problems at a hospital in Kathmandu.
Goh was also involved in the tragic operation of 29-year-old Iranian twins - Ladan and Laleh Bijani - in July 2003. Both women, joined at the head, died from severe blood loss following a 52-hour operation.
"Let me point out that Ganga and Jamuna both survived the separation surgery, and that Ganga's survival after the surgery was seven years, dying only because of a chest infection," Goh said.
"Jamuna is still surviving and is a happy, intelligent and delightful child, although she has some limb weakness."
Goh said his preliminary assessment of Vani and Veena showed their clinical condition is very similar to that of the Nepalese twins.
He believes a "better outcome" can be achieved with the Indian pair because "the collective experiences and knowledge of all the centers worldwide which have done such conjoined twins surgeries is much more than in 2001."
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Singapore Doctor Still Considering Indian Twins' Operation
Monday April 20th, 2009 / 11h22
SINGAPORE (AFP)--A prominent Singapore doctor said Monday it was "premature" to rule out an operation to separate Indian twin sisters joined at the head despite a warning from his own country's health minister.
Neurosurgeon Keith Goh, who had been asked by the state government of Andhra Pradesh in India to separate five-year-old twins Vani and Veena, said he was still in discussions with doctors and officials in Hyderabad on the case.
Goh said he would not be able to confirm any surgery until more thorough investigations had been carried out.
But he disagreed with published remarks by Singapore's Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan cautioning that an operation is more likely to harm the patients than improve their situation.
"I think that Mr. Khaw is entitled to his opinion...but that it is a little too premature to close our minds to the possibility of doing such an operation, especially when the full evaluation and all the investigations have not been done," Goh told AFP.
He also disagreed that separating conjoined twins amounted to changing the course of nature.
"Nature never intended for any of us, humans or animals, to be conjoined to another individual," said Goh.
The Indian twins "represent a most extreme form of congenital malformation and deformity, and should be considered an aberration of what nature intended," he said.
"If such patients ask for help to correct their abnormalities, I feel that we, as doctors, owe it to them to see what we can do."
Health Minister Khaw said in remarks carried Monday by the Straits Times that in certain situations, it may be better not to operate on conjoined twins.
He also said that in some cases, surgeons have to pick one twin to die in order to save the other, and the survivor is often left with brain damage.
In 2001, Goh was involved in a 97-hour operation that separated 11-month-old Nepalese twins Ganga and Jamuna Shrestha, who were born with fused skulls.
The surgery left Ganga with brain damage and Jamuna unable to walk. It also left a hole in Jamuna's skull covered only by a layer of skin.
Ganga survived for seven years before dying last year from respiratory problems at a hospital in Kathmandu.
Goh was also involved in the tragic operation of 29-year-old Iranian twins - Ladan and Laleh Bijani - in July 2003. Both women, joined at the head, died from severe blood loss following a 52-hour operation.
"Let me point out that Ganga and Jamuna both survived the separation surgery, and that Ganga's survival after the surgery was seven years, dying only because of a chest infection," Goh said.
"Jamuna is still surviving and is a happy, intelligent and delightful child, although she has some limb weakness."
Goh said his preliminary assessment of Vani and Veena showed their clinical condition is very similar to that of the Nepalese twins.
He believes a "better outcome" can be achieved with the Indian pair because "the collective experiences and knowledge of all the centers worldwide which have done such conjoined twins surgeries is much more than in 2001."
-----------------------------------
Latest updates at Singapore News Alternative:
1. The Right to Die in Singapore
2. Singapore embraces barter in recession
3. Singapore Doctor Still Considering Indian Twins' Operation
4. Singapore minister warns against twins' surgery
5. Singapore Regulator Aims For Junket Control
6. Singapore Police Force on Facebook
7. Moody's cuts ratings outlook on Singapore banks
8. Name of new mall in Northeast Singapore unveiled
9. adidas launches running club in Singapore
10. Singapore Botanic Gardens develops orchid seed bank
11. AXA opens Singapore university
12. Defence Ministry issues tender for media agency
13. Things that go bump in the night at Singapore varsity
14. Political Realignment In Southeast Asia
15. MAS MD Says ’Wrong’ to Expect Bigger Currency Drop
Latest video added:
1. Interview with Geylang Serai stallholder
.
