TLCA woman has undergone surgery to have half of her unusually large toe removed.
Kiara appeared on an episode of TLC’s My Feet Are Killing Me, where Dr Brad Schaeffer, a Jersey-based podiatrist, removed an extra bone in her big toe.
In the programme, Dr Schaeffer explained that Kiara actually had two digits growing in one, calling it ‘a really interesting case’.
TLCHe said:
She has a really big toe. Her body, for whatever reason, wanted to grow another toe on the inside of her foot.
When it came to operating on the unusually large toe, Dr Schaeffer was joined by fellow podiatrist Dr Sarah Haller, who spoke about how ‘awesome’ it is working with the TV doctor.
TLCShe said:
You know he is actually trying to help. He’s going to do whatever he can to make his patient’s life better.
TLCDuring the operation, Dr Schaeffer began by making an incision right down the centre of the toe and removing the nail.
However, upon cutting into the toe, Dr Schaeffer realises the task of removing the extra bone was going to be more difficult than he first realised.
Although he could feel it with his scalpel, he said:
You know, when looking at an X-ray, it looks like there is a clear demarcation where there’s like a nice joint, but that bone is attached in a certain way to where I just can’t get through it with a blade.
TLCInstead, the foot and ankle surgeon was forced to switch tools in a bid to remove the second bone which had grown inside Kiara’s toe.
‘Goodbye extra bone,’ he said as he placed the extra digit on the table. ‘That side is gone.’
Kiara’s unusual procedure was one instalment of a nine part series which follows Dr Schaeffer and Dr Vincent as they treat patients with a whole range of extreme foot problems, such as fungus, bunions and webbed toes.
TLCSpeaking of his show, Dr Schaeffer told Patch.com:
You get to see the patients’ journeys and struggles which are very, very compelling.
It is inspiring. They have dealt with a lot throughout their lives and lost a lot,’ he added. ‘That is why the show is so great.
For the most part, I can help put their lives back together so they can be able to live a healthy lifestyle. That’s all I can ask for as a doctor.
My Feet Are Killing me airs on TLC on Thursdays at 10pm.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.