man replaces thumb with toe

[sinestro]

Thumbs op!

Dad has toe sewn on after chopping off digit

A DAD who accidentally sawed off his thumb and had it replaced with his BIG TOE has proudly shown off his new digit for the first time.

DIY nut James Byrne, 29, underwent a complex eight hour operation two months ago to attach the toe following the accident cutting up wood.

Docs had battled to save his thumb but the blood would not start flowing again despite months of treatment including using LEECHES.

They were eventually forced to take the rare step of chopping off his left big toe and re-attaching it to the bone, nerves, arteries, tendons, ligaments and skin of his hand.

And dad-of-one James — who has nicknamed his new digit Toby — says he is thrilled with the results.

He said: "People have different reactions, some think it's really funny while others are a bit disgusted by it.

"They ask 'what did you do to your thumb, it's so big and swollen'. They can't believe it when I tell them it's actually my toe instead.

"I can't bend it yet but I hope to be able to do so soon. It rotates and I can give it a good wiggle.

"My son thinks it's great, I showed it to all of his mates and became a bit of a celebrity in the playground for a while."

Surgery ... James was in plaster for two monthsSWNS.com

Brave James, from Bristol, went ahead with the operation as using his hands is vital in his job as a paver and plant operator and he now hopes to return to work in the New Year.

He added: "I never thought it would work but the surgical teams and nurses have done such a fantastic job. I am so, so pleased that I had it done.

"My consultant told me 'you will have a thumb even if I have to take your toe'.

"I thought he was joking but here I am with it now."

Thumb-thing special ... op means James can return to work as paverSWNS.com

Consultant Umraz Khan led two teams who carried out the handiwork at Bristol's Frenchay Hospital, which is famous for performing amazing micro-surgeries.

One group of surgeons worked to amputate his toe while another concentrated on his hand at the same time.

But James will still need another op in the future to remove a piece of wire fusing the bones together.

Dr Khan said: "It is quite a rare thing to do and is a very complex procedure.

"James will have to learn to re-balance, without his left great toe, on to the ball of his foot but he will be able to walk and jog normally.

"The thumb is the dominant digit. Without it, James would not be able to do the things that we take for granted, like holding a pen or opening a door.

"It is still early days for him and he might need additional surgery to make it look more like a thumb.

"The loss of a great toe is not as disabling as losing a thumb, so the loss far outweighs the gain."

[Trilliam]

lucky it werent the right

[Badman]

Dont you need your big toe for balance?

[Zizouz]

as long as he can reach the left thumb stock he's good

[iam_the_akay]

read bout this in the metro on the way to uni, flippin mad man..

[Trim]

see someone on that bizarre ER programme had summin similar done, think it was last year

[Grafter]

Dont you need your big toe for balance?

thats what i thought

seems not

[Fighting Weight]

It would almost be worth having this operation just to creep up behind some poor fucker and put your hand on their shoulder.

[sinestro]

It would almost be worth having this operation just to creep up behind some poor fucker and put your hand on their shoulder.

lol that wud freak ppl out hard

[Guest TRAGEDY]

It would almost be worth having this operation just to creep up behind some poor fucker and put your hand on their shoulder.

or hand toe in their mouth...

[Hotsauce]

Imagine trying to play xbox/ps3 with some toe thumb. Allow it.

[Lens]

hold up. doctor makes a joke, then removes Your toe without prior consent? pisstake.

not sure which I would choose if I had to