 Mr Pitt can now live a more normal life |
A man has had his spine repaired with bone from his leg, in what is believed to be the first operation of its kind in the world. Alan Pitt, 20, from Bristol, has a rare condition which causes the vertebrae in his back to crumble. This could have led to paralysis.
Two metal rods were initially inserted into Mr Pitt's back to try to stop the process, but the bones continued to crumble.
The team at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol grafted 22cm of Mr Pitt's fibula onto his backbone.
 |  Can you imagine how I feel? It's so nice to know he wants to get up in the mornings and is rollerskating, cycling and playing football again  |
He told the BBC: "It started getting a real pain and I didn't want to get up in the mornings.
"I was told in three years that I would be paralysed.
"I feel a lot better now the operation has been done. I'm more physical now and able to look forward to a better life," he added.
Six weeks after the operation, Mr Pitt was back at work as a groundsman at Bristol Zoo.
Plastic surgeon Paul Townsend said: "The fibula has been placed into the chest with screws attaching it into the spine."
'Wonderfully happy'
"I have performed bone grafts before, but never into the chest and on to the spine."
Doctors say Mr Pitt can manage adequately without the bone and that because it is his own living bone, it will grow normally and allow him to live a more normal life.
This is thought to be the first operation of its type in the world.
Mr Pitt has a rare combined condition of neurofibromatosis and scoliosis.
His mother, Carol, 52, said she was "wonderfully happy" with the result of the operation.
"Can you imagine how I feel? It's so nice to know he wants to get up in the mornings and is rollerskating, cycling and playing football again.
"I think what they have done is marvellous and the medical staff have been wonderful.
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