The Importance of Physiotherapy After Separation Surgery in Pygopagus Conjoined Twins

Acıbadem Atunizade Hospital

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Pediatric Physiotherapy; Pygopagus Conjoined Twins; Separation Surgery

Treatments: Other: Physiotherapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06599281

ADemir

Details and patient eligibility

About

Motor function delays are observed in pygopagus conjoined twins due to limited movement experience and deficits in proprioceptive sense. This study aimed to evaluate the neuromotor development of conjoined twins who acquired independent bodies, lives, and movements as a result of separation surgery, and to examine the effect of postoperative physiotherapy intervention on gross motor function.

Full description

The study included two cases of pygopagus conjoined twins who applied for separation surgery at Acıbadem Altunizade Hospital between 2021 and 2022. The twins were 9 months and 21 days old (A1-A2) and 23 months and 11 days old (B1-B2). After separation surgery, a conventional physiotherapy program was administered regularly for 3 months, 6 days a week, with two sessions per day, each lasting 45 minutes. The Bayley-III Developmental Screening Test (DST) was used to evaluate neuromotor development, while the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88) were used to assess gross motor development. Evaluations were performed preoperatively and at the 3rd postoperative month.

Enrollment: 4 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: Under 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Having a diagnosis of pygopagus conjoined twins
• Having normal vital signs after separation surgery

Exclusion criteria

• Having a diagnosis other than pygopagus conjoined twin
• Abnormal vital signs after separation surgery

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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4 participants in 1 patient group

Pygopagus conjoined twins receiving physiotherapy after separation surgery

Other group

Description:

Physiotherapy was applied to all cases after surgery. The physiotherapy program included neurodevelopmental exercises, balance and proprioception exercises, and stretching exercises.

Treatment:

Other: Physiotherapy