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Soldier Loses Legs, Fights Intractable Pain
7 Jan
Summary
- A former soldier lost both legs to an IED in Afghanistan.
- He suffers from severe nerve pain in his leg stumps.
- A new surgery aims to redirect nerve endings to muscles.
A former British soldier's life-altering encounter with an Improvised Explosive Device in Afghanistan is detailed in a new documentary. Luke, having lost both legs and sustained severe injuries, received life-saving surgery at Camp Bastion. However, the incident left him with excruciating nerve pain in his amputated limbs.
Now, Luke is participating in a novel surgical procedure at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The operation aims to address his intractable pain by redirecting the severed nerve ends into his muscles. This cutting-edge treatment offers hope for a better quality of life, mitigating the persistent suffering he has endured for years.
The documentary, 'Surgeons: A Matter of Life or Death,' captures the emotional lead-up to this critical surgery, highlighting the complex medical decisions and the profound bond between Luke and his surgical team, particularly Colonel Mark Foster. The risks involved, including Luke's compromised heart condition, present surgeons with a difficult choice between proceeding and potentially risking his life, or abandoning the operation and condemning him to lifelong pain.
