In the Indian capital, Delhi, twin boys who were conjoined at the tops of their heads have been successfully separated.

Two-year-old Jaga and Kalia underwent 16 hours of surgery, and are now in the intensive care unit. The surgery was done by a team of 30 doctors and it is the first of its kind in India at a state-run hospital.

The boys were born with shared blood vessels and brain tissues, a very rare condition that occurs once in about three million births.

Randeep Guleria, the director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, told the Press Trust of India that the “next 18 days would be extremely critical to ascertain the success of the surgery”.

The condition known as craniopagus is extremely rare and occurs in one in three million births. 50% of those affected die within 24 hours.

According to BBC, Neurosurgeon A K Mahapatr said: “Both the children have other health issues as well. While Jaga has heart issues, Kalia has kidney problems.

“Though initially Jaga was healthier, now his condition has deteriorated. Kalia is better.”

The doctors said the most challenging job after the separation was to “provide a skin cover on both sides of the brain for the children as the surgery had left large holes on their heads”.

“If the twins make it, the next step will be reconstructing their skulls,” plastic surgeon Maneesh Singhal said..

It was discovered that the couple welcomed their babies on Monday, May 8, at the First Covenant Hospital in Satellite town.

See more photos below:-