Filipino Conjoined Twins Successfully Separated in Saudi Arabia
Two-year-old Filipino conjoined twins Olivia and Gianna Manuel were successfully separated during a six-hour operation in Riyadh on Thursday, marking another milestone for Saudi Arabia’s Conjoined Twins Separation Program.
The surgery was performed at King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital after months of medical evaluations, with a team of 22 consultants, specialists, nurses, and technicians carrying out the complex procedure. The twins will remain under medical care in Saudi Arabia, where one of them is expected to undergo additional heart surgery before returning to the Philippines.
The operation is significant because it represents the 72nd successful separation performed under Saudi Arabia’s Conjoined Twins Separation Program, one of the world’s longest-running initiatives for treating conjoined twins. It also marks the fourth successful separation of Filipino conjoined twins under the program since it began in 1990.
Why the Surgery Was Needed
Olivia and Gianna, who are from Nueva Ecija in the Philippines, were born with omphalopagus, a rare condition in which twins are joined at the chest and abdomen.
According to Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who heads the Saudi Conjoined Twins Separation Program and led the surgical team, the twins shared a liver and possibly part of their intestines. Medical examinations also found that one of the girls had a congenital heart defect, making the operation more complex.
After arriving in Riyadh on Jan. 27, the twins underwent extensive medical tests and multidisciplinary evaluations before doctors decided it was safe to proceed with surgery.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah said: “Thanks to God, and then the efforts of my colleagues and fellow members of the medical and surgical team, the twins were separated six hours after the start of the operation.”
He added that the team worked to ensure “the highest levels of accuracy and safety during all stages of the operation.”
X/ Sherylin Untalan @untalansherylin
A Global Medical Program
The operation was carried out under the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Separation Program.
Since its launch in 1990, the program has treated 158 sets of conjoined twins from 28 countries and has now completed 72 successful separation surgeries.
According to Dr. Al-Rabeeah, Olivia and Gianna are the fourth pair of Filipino conjoined twins treated through the initiative. Previous successful separations involved Ann and Mae Manzo in 2004, Akhizah and Ayeesha Yusoph in 2024, and Maurice Ann and Klea Misa earlier this year.
Family Looks Ahead
Before the surgery, the twins’ mother, Ginalyn Manuel, said she hoped the operation would give her daughters the chance to enjoy a normal childhood.
“Once they’re finally separated, they’ll be able to move around freely. They’ll be able to run and live a normal life,” she said.
X/Sherylin Untalan @untalansherylin
Following the successful procedure, the family thanked King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the medical team for providing the specialized treatment that made the operation possible.
Doctors said the twins will continue recovering in Riyadh, with Gianna expected to undergo additional heart surgery before the family returns home to the Philippines.
