Linz surgeons restore man’s ability to lift his foot

A specialised operation at the Barmherzige Schwestern hospital in Linz has enabled a 36-year-old man to walk almost without restrictions after nerve damage left him unable to lift his left foot, ORF reports.

Dino Izic injured his leg during an outing with friends and children. After he jumped and landed heavily, his foot twisted sideways. He turned it back into position but could no longer put weight on it.

Doctors initially treated him at Salzkammergut Klinikum Vöcklabruck, where they found that a nerve had also been badly damaged. The muscle that normally lifts the front of the foot no longer responded.

Surgeons at the Linz hospital moved a functioning muscle from his calf to restore the movement. They guided it beneath the shinbone and attached it to a bone in the middle of the foot. The operation took about two and a half hours, the hospital said.

Without the procedure, Izic might have needed to wear a brace whenever he put weight on the foot. Orthopaedist Thomas Stumpner said the operation restored the lifting movement using the patient’s own muscle power.

Plastic surgeon Martin Kaltseis said the method could also help people with other nerve injuries, including those caused by sustained pressure on a nerve. Izic no longer needs special shoes or a brace and has been able to play football with his son again.