PHILADELPHIA (AP) — After a remarkable journey, twin brothers Amari and Javar Ruffin celebrated their first birthday, having undergone successful surgery to separate them after being born conjoined.
The brothers, who were born on September 29, 2023, via cesarean section, shared vital organs, including parts of their sternum, diaphragm, abdominal wall, and liver. At birth, their combined weight was 6 pounds.
On August 21, a dedicated surgical team at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, comprising more than two dozen specialists—ranging from surgeons to anesthesiologists and nurses—worked tirelessly for eight hours to perform the separation. The team expertly closed and reconstructed their abdomens using advanced mesh and plastic surgery techniques.
Following their surgery, the twins returned home on October 8 to join their parents, Tim and Shaneka Ruffin, along with their siblings, Kaylum and Anora. “Seeing them each in their own beds was an indescribable feeling,” expressed Shaneka. “It feels like we are beginning a new journey as a family of six. We are so grateful to CHOP for helping make this day possible and allowing us to start this new chapter.”
The Ruffins discovered that their twins were conjoined during a routine ultrasound at 12 weeks into Shaneka’s pregnancy. While some advised them to consider terminating the pregnancy, they sought a second opinion. They learned from another hospital that, despite the rare condition, there was a possibility for successful separation.
Conjoined twins occur in approximately 1 in every 35,000 to 80,000 births, making their successful separation a specialized and rare feat. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is one of only a few locations in the United States with the expertise needed for such complex surgeries.
