Chinese conjoined twins successfully separated with help of 3-D printing technology

Doctors in Shanghai have separated three-month-old conjoined twins – fused by soft tissues at the hip and lower spine – with the help of 3D printing technology, Xinhua reports.

The twins were born in Ganzhou city, Jiangxi province, on March 17. They had largely separate digestive systems but shared a lower intestine.

Before the surgery, the infants were pictured sharing a diaper.

To prepare for the delicate surgery, the doctors used 3D printing to construct two models of the babies’ connected parts to understand their anatomy and simulate the surgery.

The doctors then separated the twins in a five-hour procedure at the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University on Tuesday and reconstructed parts of their lower body, including the muscles around the buttocks.