25-Hour Miracle Surgery Saves THESE Two!

Surgeons in blue scrubs handling an organ during surgery — MIRACLE SURGERY BOMBSHELL

Two-year-old twin girls joined at the head were separated in a marathon St. Louis surgery that lasted about 25 hours, and both are recovering.

Story Highlights

SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital led the February separation of craniopagus twins Hiyab and Wuhbto.
The surgery spanned Feb. 24–25 and followed months of staged procedures and planning.
Hospital leaders credit a large, multidisciplinary team for the successful result.
The girls moved to separate beds after surgery and began rehabilitation soon after.

A precise plan, a rare operation, and a long night in St. Louis

SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital announced the successful separation of twin sisters Hiyab and Wuhbto, who were born conjoined at the head.

The hospital said surgeons performed the definitive procedure over Feb. 24–25 and worked for more than 24 hours from preparation to closure and recovery.

Multiple outlets described the work as a 25-hour surgery. The hospital described the case type, craniopagus, as among the rarest and most complex in pediatric care.

The medical team built toward separation over months. The hospital and contemporaneous reports describe a series of staged neurologic and reconstructive operations that set anatomy, blood flow, and scalp coverage for the final step. Hospital leaders said success required rigorous imaging, three-dimensional modeling, and rehearsals.

Staff from neurosurgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, anesthesia, intensive care, and nursing moved in a tight sequence to control bleeding, protect the brain, and close both skulls.

Who the twins are and what came next

The hospital identified the girls as Hiyab and Wuhbto, two-year-old sisters from Ethiopia. After surgeons achieved separation in the early hours of Feb. 25, caregivers moved the children to individual beds for the first time. The care plan then shifted to healing, therapy, and steady milestones.

Reports noted transfer to a pediatric rehabilitation hospital for recovery work like sitting balance, head control, and play that builds strength and confidence.

Hospital leaders framed the operation as a team victory built on discipline, not luck. They pointed to “sublime precision” and “meticulous attention to detail” across many specialties and partners.

That tone fits what the medical literature says about craniopagus twins. Results improve when teams stage steps, use tissue expansion for closure, and operate under planned conditions rather than in crisis.

Two-year-old conjoined twin sisters saw each other face-to-face for the first time after a successful 24-hour surgery to separate them. Their parents were unable to get visas to travel to the U.S. as their daughters prepared for this life-changing operation, but the hospital says… pic.twitter.com/9pQ4ZqNWLd

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 18, 2026

How this case fits the larger pattern of craniopagus care

Craniopagus separation remains rare worldwide. A recent review of cases reported over roughly three decades found that anatomy and strategy drive outcomes. Total vertical fusions are hardest, while multi-stage plans and careful timing improve survival and function.

Mortality in published series still reaches into the double digits, which explains why hospitals stress planning and stepwise care in public updates. This case aligns with that playbook: staged surgeries, long planning, and a coordinated final push.

🔴 Ethiopian twins separated after 25-hour surgery at St. Louis hospital

Two-year-old girls Hiyab and Wuhbto, born conjoined at the head in a condition called craniopagus affecting fewer than 6% of conjoined twin cases, were surgically separated in February at SSM Health… pic.twitter.com/18ZgoYN8Xs

— NewsTongue (@NewsTongueX) September 18, 2026

Local and national outlets repeated the hospital’s core facts: successful separation at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, a February operation of more than 24 hours, and early rehabilitation progress.

Reports highlighted the first moments apart and the image of two beds, two names, and two care paths. That scene lands because it is simple and true. It marks the end of one risk and the start of another journey: healing, therapy, and the patient work of childhood.