View source for Joseph and Luka Banda

{{Infobox Person
| name = Joseph and Luka Banda
| image = Joseph and Luka Banda.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|01|23}}
| birth_place = [[Lusaka]], [[Zambia]]
| known_for = Conjoined twins
}}
'''Joseph Banda''' and '''Luka Banda''' (born January 23, 1997 in [[Lusaka]], [[Zambia]])<ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-6375253.html Zambia: Zambian Siamese Twins Return Home] Chibi Kubantu, Inter Press Service English News Wire 1998-04-09 (subscription required)</ref> are twin brothers who were born type 2 vertical craniopagus twins. They were born joined at the back of the skull and faced in opposite directions, making it one of the most complicated births in the known history of Zambia. 

==The operation==
In December 1997, Dr. Ben Carson, an American neurosurgeon, led a team of 50 Zambian and South African specialists to separate the 11-month-old twins in what was dubbed "Operation Impossible". The twins did not share any organs, but shared intricate blood vessels that flowed into each other's brains. 

The team sang hymns to get them through the marathon procedure which lasted 30 hours.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/08/10/separated.zambian.twins/ |title=African separated twins offer hope for 'little Marias' |publisher=CNN.com |date=2002-08-10 |accessdate=2015-10-22}}</ref>On 31 December 1997, the operation was successful. "Soon after separation, the babies were seeing each other for the first time," said Dr. [[Tackson Lambart]], of [[University Teaching Hospital]] (UTH), who was among the Zambian team in the operation.

==After the operation==
In 2001, the twins were fitted with artificial skulls to permanently close their heads, and are neurologically normal. In an interview, Dr. Carson stated about the operation:
:"In the end, the Bandas became the first Type 2 craniopagus twins (joined at the head and facing in opposite directions) ever separated with both surviving and both being neurologically normal."''<ref>{{cite news|last=Dreifus |first=Claudia |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9802E1D81E38F937A35752C0A9669C8B63 |title=A CONVERSATION WITH - BENJAMIN S. CARSON - A Pioneer at a Frontier - The Brain of a Child |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2000-01-04 |accessdate=2015-05-29}}</ref>

==Personal lives==
Joseph and Luka were born to David Banda and wife Joyce. They have five other siblings<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/08/10/separated.zambian.twins/ |title=African separated twins offer hope for 'little Marias' |publisher=CNN.com |date=2002-08-10 |accessdate=2015-10-22}}</ref> and are residing in [[Chilenje]] South in Lusaka.

In 2015, they graduate from high school.<ref name=post>[http://www.postzambia.com/news.php?id=13768 Ben Carson to visit Zambia] [[The Post]], 9 December 2015</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1268638.stm BBC article - Joined at the head: medical briefing] Monday, 9 April, 2001 
* [https://web.archive.org/20060304101238/http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org:80/press/1998/JANUARY/980115.HTM Hopkins Medicine article] 
* [https://web.archive.org/20051128143242/http://www.udel.edu:80/PR/UpDate/00/33/carson.html "Commencement 2000 - Ben Carson discussion of the operation] 

[[Category:1997 births]]
[[Category:People of Zambia]]
[[Category:People from Lusaka]]