Pioneering surgery saves man from losing arm

But, after undergoing pioneering surgery in Sheffield, he went on to serve his country with the Territorial Army in Afghanistan.

Mr Warren, a council worker, shattered his elbow in the fall and was left without the use of his left arm. After a number of failed operations at his local hospital in Sussex, he was told that his bone had “disintegrated” and the arm would have to be amputated.

As a last resort, his consultant referred him to the elbow unit at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust, where it was felt that his elbow might be salvaged using an allograft – a bone from someone who had died – together with a total elbow replacement.

Consultant shoulder and elbow surgeon David Stanley, said: “The technique has previously been used in this country around the hip and knee.

“However, Sheffield is the only centre in the United Kingdom with significant experience of the procedure at the elbow.” Mr Warren said that he has been “completely amazed” with the results of his surgery, which allowed him to go on and serve the country with 3rd Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment.

He said: “There were some very frightening times but I didn’t regret signing up.

“After my fall I thought that chance was robbed from me but thanks to Mr Stanley and his great team I got it back.”