Twin Sisters Conjoined at the Head Successfully Separated After 24‑Hour Surgery

It was a scene that felt like something out of a movie: two infant sisters, Hiyab and Wuhbto, joined at the skull, trembling on a gurney as a team of surgeons wheeled them into the operating suite at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. The clock started ticking on February 24, 2026, and would keep ticking for more than a full day.

When the doors closed, a coalition of neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and rehabilitation specialists huddled together, each aware that a single misstep could change the twins’ futures forever. Dr. Joanna Kemp, the lead neurological surgeon, later described the moment as “a test of everything we’ve learned, and then some.”

Hours blurred into one another. The operation stretched over 24 hours, with surgeons swapping places, coffee cups stacking up, and the sterile lights never dimming. By the time the sun rose on February 25, the two girls were no longer conjoined. The heads had been carefully divided, blood vessels meticulously reattached, and both skulls reconstructed with custom‑made plates.

It’s still early days for Hiyab and Wuhbto, who celebrated their second birthday in March, just weeks after the procedure. They now reside at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in Maryland Heights, Missouri, where therapists help them relearn basics that most children take for granted—sitting up, chewing, even uttering a few words.

“They can now do things like sit upright on their own, which was impossible when they were fused,” said Dr. Nick Holekamp, chief health transformation officer at Ranken Jordan. “Soon they’ll try standing, walking, and of course, playing with each other as independent kids.”

The twins’ journey began far from the Midwest. Born in Ethiopia, they traveled to the United States in March 2025, escorted by volunteers from World Pediatrics and the Lola Children’s Home. Their flight on Ethiopian Airlines was a hopeful dash toward a chance at a normal childhood.

Conjoined twins are extraordinarily rare—about one in every 50,000 to 100,000 live births, according to the National Library of Medicine’s StatPearls. Girls are three times more likely to be born conjoined than boys, making Hiyab and Wuhbto’s case all the more unique.

Behind the scenes, a network of charities—including the Ronald McDonald House, and numerous nonprofit partners—provided lodging, meals, and emotional support for the family throughout the grueling months of preparation and recovery.

While doctors can’t yet predict every long‑term outcome, the consensus is hopeful. “They now have opportunities that simply weren’t there before,” Dr. Kemp said at a press briefing. “Every day we see progress, and that’s the best medicine.”