A remarkable medical milestone was achieved at a children’s hospital in St. Louis where a pair of 2-year-old conjoined twins, Hiyab and Wuhbto, were successfully separated. The twins, hailing from Ethiopia, were born with a rare condition known as craniopagus, joining them at the head but facing opposite directions. This condition affects less than 6% of conjoined twin cases and occurs once in every 2.5 million live births, according to the National Library of Medicine.
For nearly two years, Hiyab and Wuhbto could hear each other’s voices without seeing each other’s faces. Remaining conjoined posed serious health risks for the twins. In 2025, they journeyed from Ethiopia to Missouri for a vital separation surgery, involving a team of about 30 specialists who spent a year planning this intricate operation.
Due to visa issues, the twins’ parents stayed in Ethiopia. The girls traveled with a guardian while benefitting from the support of a global network of pediatric providers and charities. The separation surgery, completed in February and lasting 25 hours, focused on carefully dividing their shared blood vessels. Dr. Joanna Kemp, who led the surgical team, noted that the twins’ brains were mostly separate but preparation was needed for small fused areas. Kemp is noted for being the first female neurosurgeon in the United States to conduct such a surgery.
The surgical team’s efforts culminated in the extraordinary sight of the twins separated by a few feet in the operating room. Kemp described this outcome as “quite wild” and a moment that paused the entire team. The separation marked a critical milestone in the twins’ recovery, with Wuhbto undergoing a successful cranioplasty to repair her skull. Hiyab is scheduled for a similar procedure later in the fall. Both girls are currently receiving ongoing care and rehabilitation at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
The hopes of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital rest on reuniting the twins with their family in Ethiopia soon, as noted in their release to CBS News.