Boy has his leg reattached….backwards

MSNBC.com shares this amazing story!

Dugan Smith was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2008. Like many other patients with this disease, doctors suggested amputating the middle section of his right leg. Not really an unusual story. But, it’s what they did with the remainder of his leg that’s makes his story remarkable.

In order for Smith to keep the nerves in his foot intact, doctors reattached his leg backwards. The surgery is called rotationplasty and was the only option that would allow Smith to continue playing sports. After the reattachment, the parts of his leg switched roles. Here’s the breakdown of their new functions:

·         Calf is now the thigh

·         Ankle is now the knee

·         Knee and foot are now the shin bone (these attach to the prosthetic)

For Smith, the procedure was a no brainer. He has been cancer free for two years and is playing baseball for his school’s baseball team.

Check out his leg in action!