Doctors slim Proteus syndrome sufferer's enormous foot

Doctors in central China have successfully slimmed the enormous right foot of a man with a rare overgrowth condition, to help him walk normally.

The 28-year-old surnamed Zhang, a native of Xiangyang City, Hubei Province, still needs another operation on his left foot to remove a sixth toe.

Zhang's feet are each 35 cm long and 18 cm wide. He has had difficulty walking recently as the second toe of the right foot grew crooked.

The operation on Monday at Union Hospital in Wuhan, capital of Hubei, corrected the crooked toe and reduced the width of the foot by one fifth.

He suffers Proteus syndrome, which causes skin overgrowth and unusual bone development.

Only four such cases have been reported in China and fewer than 100 cases have been confirmed worldwide, said Chen Zhenbing, a doctor with the hospital.

All Zhang's family members, including his parents and sister, have normal feet. But Zhang was born with a pair of feet larger than other babies, said his father.

"He was able to walk by himself when he was only eight months old," said Zhang senior. By the time he was 12, it was very difficult for him to find shoes big enough," he said.

The condition has not discouraged Zhang junior, an extroverted and easy-going guy. He got married after school and has a six-year-old daughter.

He said he was satisfied with the first operation, which was like a "rebirth."

"I will go to buy a suitable pair of shoes as soon as the second operation is completed," he said. Endi