Ahmed and Mohamed Ibrahim undergo successful tissue expander surgery
Procedure is critical step in preparing the boys for separation surgery this summer

Dallas (April 29, 2003) – Conjoined Egyptian twins Ahmed and Mohamed Ibrahim underwent successful surgery yesterday to implant tissue expanders in their heads and thighs in preparation for a surgery to separate the 22-month-old boys, who are joined at the crown of the head. The separation surgery is expected to take place sometime this summer

Craniofacial surgeon Dr. Kenneth E. Salyer led a team of pediatric specialists from the Dallas Craniofacial Center at Medical City in the eight-hour surgery. The surgery went so well that the boys were taken directly from the recovery room to their hospital room, bypassing a stay in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Five tissue expanders were inserted under each boy’s skin near the crown of their heads. The expanders also were inserted in each of the boy’s thighs. Over the coming weeks, the expanders will slowly be filled with saline to cause the skin to stretch. This expanded skin and tissue is critical, as it will be used to cover the large head wounds that will result at the time of separation. “Using their own tissue, as opposed to artificial material, gives the boys a significant advantage through this difficult process,” said Dr. Salyer.

The boys lie on a specially designed airbed and wear headgear and vests that minimize pressure on their bodies and protect the expander sites. They will remain hospitalized at Medical City until their separation surgery.

The boys' father, Ibrahim Mohamed Ibrahim, expressed his gratitude to Medical City and to the many physicians and specialists who continue to donate their time and expertise to help his sons. He arrived in Dallas last October to be with his sons. The boys were brought to Dallas in June 2002, shortly after their first birthday, to be evaluated for possible separation surgery. They have undergone months of tests and therapy since arriving here to prepare them for the possibility of surgery.