One family is celebrating a medical miracle.
Twins Ally and ElAlbalushi were born as conjoined twins joined at the pelvis, but after a successful surgery at Seattle Children’s in February when they were 15-months-old, the now 22-month-olds were officially separated.
“Conjoined twins are rare,” Seattle Children’s Hospital co-director of the Reconstructive Pelvis Medicine program Dr. Caitlin A. Smith said in a Sept, 17 press release. And twins joined at the pelvis, as Ally and El were, are even a bit rarer.”
Smith explained that the surgery to separate the twin girls was “highly specialized,” but that she was excited about the opportunity because they “had the right team in place.”
“We think about surgery all the time,” she continued, “but this required another level of coordination and teamwork.”
And the girls’ mother SamAlbalushi knew she, her husband and their children had found the right doctors for the job.
“When I met with Dr. Smith and the other Seattle Children’s specialists for a surgery consultation, I knew my family would be in great hands,” she said in a statement. “Their expertise and approach to care really impressed my husband and me and made our decision to have the surgery at Seattle Children’s an easy one.”
Preparation for the survey started in October 2024, with a team of over 30 healthcare providers including pediatric general surgeons, urologists, gynecologists, plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, orthopedists, nurses and technicians coming together to plan every single detail.
Detailed imaging was taken of the twins before the surgery, including MRI, fluoroscopy and endoscopy to create a guide to their anatomy and what internal structures they shared. And when it came to the day of the 18-hour surgery, incisions were carefully made in each twin’s shared abdomen and pelvis before more work was done to separate their gastrointestinal, gynecologic, and urologic systems.
“The relief that they were separated and safe was incredible,” the surgeon shared. “Each twin got what they needed, thanks to our amazing, dedicated team who worked to ensure Ally and El’s health and safety were priority number one.”
And Sam has been amazed by how fast her girls, who were born November 2023, have recovered from the surgery as they receive occupational, speech and physiotherapy.
“It’s incredible to watch our girls crawl quickly, learn new words and see their distinct personalities take shape,” Sam gushed. “We are very happy with the care we receive at Seattle Children’s. It was the right decision for our family.”
