Urgent Airlift of Conjoined Twins to Australia for Surgery

A rare set of conjoined twins, Tom and Sawong, are being urgently airlifted from Papua New Guinea (PNG) to Australia for life-saving surgery. Medical professionals have indicated that separation is critical, particularly for Tom, whose health has deteriorated in recent days. The twins, born two months ago, were initially transferred to Port Moresby for treatment and are now en route to a specialist facility in Sydney.

The transfer comes after a team of specialists from the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network arrived in Port Moresby to facilitate the airlift. The twins are joined at the lower abdomen and share vital organs, including a single liver and portions of their gastrointestinal tract. The complexity of their condition necessitates a level of medical intervention that is not available in PNG.

In a recent assessment, Dr. Polapoi Chalau, chief executive of Paradise Private Hospital where the twins were treated, expressed urgency regarding Tom’s condition. He noted signs of low albumin, a protein crucial for fluid regulation in the body. “I think we’ve just about reached that critical level now – something needs to be done,” Dr. Chalau stated.

Complex Medical Needs and Team Support

According to a letter from the Sydney medical team, Tom presents with multiple congenital anomalies, which significantly affect his long-term survival outlook. In contrast, Sawong has a more favorable prognosis following surgery. The letter emphasized the need for immediate separation, as Sawong is exerting considerable effort to support Tom’s health.

The twins will be treated at the Westmead facility in Sydney, where a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including liver surgeons, cardiologists, and neonatologists, will collaborate on their care. The letter outlined a comprehensive plan that includes MRI and CT scans to assess their anatomy and vascular supply before any surgical intervention can take place.

Funding for the twins’ medical care is a critical aspect of their transfer. Their parents recently reached out to the PNG Government for financial support to cover the necessary treatment.

Challenges and Parental Hope

The decision to transfer Tom and Sawong to Sydney follows weeks of deliberation. Initially, doctors at Port Moresby General Hospital had deemed it too risky to send the twins overseas, citing low chances of survival for both during separation. However, as Tom’s health worsened, the urgency for expert care became evident.

Dr. Chalau expressed relief at the progress made in getting the twins the care they need. “They are a very special case that we have in here, and with the limited resources that we have, that puts more pressure on us,” he mentioned, highlighting the challenges faced by the medical team.

Janet Sios, co-owner of Paradise Private Hospital, described the emotional state of the twins’ parents. “The hope of the parents is that they must go down and get the best they can get. Hope is what they’re holding on to,” she said. She expressed optimism about the potential for a positive outcome, even if it meant a difficult journey ahead.

Dr. Chalau reiterated that the airlift is just the beginning of a long process. “Getting them overseas is just a start,” he noted. “Surgery is just part of it, but the long-term care and rehabilitation is another thing.”

As Tom and Sawong embark on this critical journey to Australia, their situation underscores the complexities involved in treating such rare medical conditions and the lengths to which families and medical professionals will go to secure the best possible outcomes.