Conjoined twins celebrate 10 years of good health after separation

Undergoing a separation procedure five months after they were born conjoined 10 years ago in Wuhan Union Hospital, twin sisters recently returned to the hospital to celebrate their 10th year of growing up healthy.

Zhang Ling, the elder sister, and Zhang Long, whose given names combined mean "exquisite", were born joined at the hip bone in June 2009, in Yunmeng county, Xiaogan city of Hubei province. They shared organs in their urinary, digestive, reproductive and bone systems.

A team consisting of over 30 medical staff members from several divisions in Wuhan Union Hospital and led by Tang Shaotao, director of pediatric surgery, conducted an 11-hour operation on the twins and successfully separated them.

Now the twins are studying in grade three at a primary school.