Devon man uses toenail clippers to amputate gangrenous toes to avoid NHS waiting list

Paul Dibbens

Paul Dibbens chose to remove his own toe rather than wait for surgery (Torquay Herald Express/screengrab )

A Devon man performed an amputation on himself using toenail clippers after he became frustrated at his wait for surgery.

After fixing his son’s car in freezing conditions in March 2015, the toes of former solider Paul Dibbins, 57, turned black with frostbite and he was rushed to hospital.

However, having then been entered for surgery for a leg amputation below the right knee owing to issues with diabetes, complications with another patient meant Mr Dibbens’ operation was cancelled.

Mr Dibbins discharged himself and was given clearance by doctors to care for his toes himself until their condition deteriorated.

But the toes became gangrenous around six months after they developed frostbite and Mr Dibbens claimed he was told he faced a long wait for an operation.

"Knowing that it would take at least another six weeks to get me in front of a surgeon again - that's when I bit the bullet and cut off the toes,” Mr Dibbins told the Torquay Herald Express.

"I did it because it's what had to be done, my doctor told me my toes were going to kill me. I didn’t want to die and I didn’t want my leg cut off.”

Mr Dibbins said he feared not being able to enjoy walking in the English countryside if the gangrene spread and his right leg had to be amputated.

Using his military medical training, he performed the operation in his living room by himself without anaesthetic while biting on a towel.

While biting on a towel to manage the pain, Mr Dibbens used a knife to cut through the dead flesh then heavy duty toenail clippers and scissors to cut through the bone and tendons.

While surgeons were shocked at his drastic action, one praised it as a “textbook” job, though others said he was simply lucky.

Mr Dibbens said his toes have now healed.

A spokesman for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust said: "We are unable to comment on information about individuals.

"However, the safety of all our patients is our top priority and occasionally it does become necessary for operations to be postponed, if there is another patient with a more critical medical need.

"Whenever there is a need to postpone an operation the consultant who is managing the patient's care is involved in the decision-making."