Filipino conjoined twins Klea Ann Misa and Maurice Ann Misa have been successfully separated after a complex 13-hour operation funded by the Saudi Arabian government on April 23.
The Saudi Arabian Embassy in Manila said the procedure was considered “one of the most complex cases worldwide,” involving dozens of specialists across multiple medical disciplines.
In a statement, the embassy said the twins’ mother expressed “profound joy” following the successful separation, describing it as a life-changing moment that opens the possibility of independent living and renewed hope for the future.
The surgery was conducted under the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The twins were brought to Saudi Arabia in May 2025 and admitted to the King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital in Riyadh for extensive medical evaluation prior to surgery.
According to Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah, the case was highly complex due to shared cerebral venous structures, intertwined brain tissue, and the positioning of their heads. Additional risks included Klea Ann’s cardiac insufficiency and severe kidney failure.
Lead surgeon Dr. Muatasim Al-Zoubi led a multi-stage operation involving around 30 consultants and specialists, including experts in anesthesia, intensive care, imaging, and plastic surgery.
Before the operation, doctors estimated a 50 percent survival risk due to the complexity of the case.
Officials said the successful procedure marks the 70th conjoined twin separation surgery under the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, a long-running humanitarian medical initiative.
