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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Australian man's thumb surgically replaced by toe | Australian man's thumb surgically replaced by toe |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An Australian cattle worker whose thumb was severed by a bull has had his toe surgically transplanted in its position. | An Australian cattle worker whose thumb was severed by a bull has had his toe surgically transplanted in its position. |
| Zac Mitchell, 20, was injured in April while working on a remote farming property in Western Australia. | Zac Mitchell, 20, was injured in April while working on a remote farming property in Western Australia. |
| "A bull kicked my hand into the fence," Mr Mitchell said of the incident. | "A bull kicked my hand into the fence," Mr Mitchell said of the incident. |
| He underwent two unsuccessful operations to reattach his thumb before doctors opted to relocate his big toe in surgery lasting eight hours. | |
| Mr Mitchell said fellow workers had attempted to preserve his thumb immediately after the accident. | Mr Mitchell said fellow workers had attempted to preserve his thumb immediately after the accident. |
| "They put it in the esky [cooler] with some ice," he told the BBC. | "They put it in the esky [cooler] with some ice," he told the BBC. |
| Mr Mitchell was flown to hospital in the state capital of Perth, but efforts to save his thumb ultimately failed. | Mr Mitchell was flown to hospital in the state capital of Perth, but efforts to save his thumb ultimately failed. |
| Difficult choice | Difficult choice |
| Despite initial reluctance, the cattle worker agreed to the transplant operation at the Sydney Eye Hospital two weeks ago. | Despite initial reluctance, the cattle worker agreed to the transplant operation at the Sydney Eye Hospital two weeks ago. |
| Lead plastic surgeon Dr Sean Nicklin said he was not surprised it took time to accept. | Lead plastic surgeon Dr Sean Nicklin said he was not surprised it took time to accept. |
| "It is a bit of a crazy idea - they [patients] do not want to be injured in another part of their body," he said. | "It is a bit of a crazy idea - they [patients] do not want to be injured in another part of their body," he said. |
| "[However] even if you have got four good fingers, if you do not have something to pinch against them, your hand has lost a huge amount of its function." | "[However] even if you have got four good fingers, if you do not have something to pinch against them, your hand has lost a huge amount of its function." |
| Mr Mitchell will need more than 12 months of rehabilitation, but he plans to return to farm work. | Mr Mitchell will need more than 12 months of rehabilitation, but he plans to return to farm work. |
| The Sydney Eye Hospital said it was rare to transplant a complete toe, like in Mr Mitchell's case, although partial toe relocations were more common. | The Sydney Eye Hospital said it was rare to transplant a complete toe, like in Mr Mitchell's case, although partial toe relocations were more common. |
| "A lot of people think their balance and walking is going to be significantly affected which it generally isn't," Dr Nicklin said. | |
| Mr Mitchell's mum, Karen, said he was making a good recovery. | |
| "Two weeks since the operation his walking is almost back to normal." | |
| Reporting by the BBC's Greg Dunlop | Reporting by the BBC's Greg Dunlop |