Two-year-old sisters conjoined at the head have finally looked into each other’s eyes following a successful operation at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis.
According to CBS News, Hiyab and Wuhbto were born in Ethiopia with craniopagus, an exceptionally rare condition where infants are joined at the skull facing opposite directions.
For nearly two years, the toddlers could hear each other but were unable to make eye contact, while remaining conjoined posed severe risks to their health.
After arriving in Missouri in 2025 accompanied by a guardian as their parents were unable to secure U.S. visas, a multidisciplinary medical team spent nearly a year preparing for the procedure.
According to the National Library of Medicine, this phenomenon accounts for under 6% of conjoined births, occurring roughly once in every 2.5 million live deliveries.
Supported by international pediatric specialists and charitable organizations, the surgical team undertook a marathon 24-hour operation in February to disentangle shared blood vessels and carefully detach fused brain tissue.
Lead surgeon Dr. Joanna Kemp, the first female neurosurgeon in the United States to complete such an operation, noted that while the girls’ brains were largely distinct, precise navigation was required for the fused areas.
Both girls are making steady progress toward full recovery. Wuhbto recently completed a cranial reconstruction, with Hiyab scheduled for a similar skull repair later this fall.
The sisters are currently undergoing physical rehabilitation at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital, with medical staff anticipating their eventual return home to Ethiopia.