Doctors replace woman's missing thumb with big toe transplant

[n2doc]

BY LAUREN JOHNSTON
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, June 22nd 2010, 12:33 PM

Shannon Elliott, 25, lost the thumb and two fingers in November when a firework exploded in her hand. Doctors transplanted her big toe to replace the thumb.

And this little piggy turned into a thumb.

A Long Island woman's big toe will adapt to function as a thumb after doctors performed a rare transplant operation to replace the vital missing digit.

Shannon Elliott, 25, lost the thumb and two fingers from her left hand in November when a firework exploded in her palm. Elliott happened to be walking by when someone in a passing car tossed the explosive out a window.

It blew up when she bent to see what had landed and tore apart her hand, reports WABC.

"I was devastated. ... My fingers exploded into pieces," she said.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2010/06/22/2010-06-22_doctors_replace_womans_missing_thumb_with_big_toe_transplant.html

[Warpy]

1. That operation is fairly common

and usually follows burns, fireworks accidents, and industrial mishaps. It looks a little weird, but opposable thumbs are necessary.

Funny, my reaction whenever some lout tossed anything out of a car at me was to dodge it. I didn't want to know what it was.

[KansDem]

2. I've hear of this before...

Many years ago, a firefighter lost his thumb. He had to have it to remain on the job, so surgeons replaced it with his big toe. He kept his job.

Here's another "toe becomes thumb" story:
Surgeons replace boy's thumb with toe (BBC)

[Duer 157099]

3. Warning: icky graphic image inside

Ugh, I had to go there didn't I?