Wick fisherman swaps toe for a thumb
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A WICK fisherman who lost his thumb in a horrific accident has been given a new lease of life – thanks to one of his toes.
Donald Gunn is able to perform the simplest of tasks again following a successful 12-hour operation to remove his second toe from his left foot and have it attached to his right hand in place of the missing thumb.
The 56-year-old can’t believe the difference it has made.
“It’s less than two weeks since I had the operation but the difference it has made to me already is unbelievable. I am delighted with the result and cannot thank the surgeon and his team enough for what they have done.”
Mr Gunn lost his thumb while working on the Orkney-registered boat, Kellier, 20 miles off the coast of Sumburgh Head last July when it got caught in one of the nets and was ripped from his hand.
He was transported by the Shetland search-and-rescue helicopter to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary with his thumb resting on his knee in a bag of ice.
However, surgeons were unable to reattach the digit, leaving Mr Gunn extremely distressed.
“When the incident happened, it was just so quick that I didn’t realised that I had just lost my thumb,” he said.
“The thumb was still in my glove and it was the shock of seeing it rather than the pain which hurt the most. It might only be a small part of the body but it’s only when you lose it that you realise how important it is.
“As a result, I have been unable to work as my right hand became essentially useless and I felt really low.”
To replace his thumb, Mr Gunn inquired about plastic surgery and it was initially suggested a plastic splint be put in place.
But consultant plastic surgeon Amir Tadros believed Mr Gunn was a candidate for toe transplant surgery.
“This is a very complex procedure, but the difference it could make to Mr Gunn’s life convinced me it was worth trying,” said Mr Tadros.
“By using the second toe from his left foot, we ensured that the patient’s balance wasn’t affected and the cosmetic appearance was almost the same as a normal foot. This would not have been the case had we used his big toe.
“The 12-hour operation was an endurance test for both the surgical team and Mr Gunn but the recovery we are seeing already has made it all worth it.”
Since the operation, Mr Gunn has been amazed at how he has been able to use his new “thumb” as well as his old one and can now perform tasks which he previously took for granted.
His partner, June Macdonald, and children Karen and Donald are also pleased with the result.
Mr Gunn is now looking forward to getting back to work and putting his life back on track. “It is certainly different than having a usual thumb, but I am able to move it up and down,” he explained.
“I can now do things such as tie my own shoelaces which I wasn’t able to do without my thumb. I had to put my career on my hold as I wasn’t able to grab things but, hopefully, I can get back out to sea next year.”
