Danielle Thomas, a 40-year-old mother of two from Retford in the Nottingham area of England, had her right leg amputated below the knee after doctors initially attributed her symptoms to mental health and functional neurological disorder before discovering she suffered from the rare Buerger’s disease.
Initial Symptoms and Misdiagnosis
Thomas first visited her family doctor in April of last year complaining of tingling and numbness in her hands and feet. She was referred to a neurologist in July, where blood tests and an MRI scan of her brain revealed no issues. According to reports, a doctor suggested her symptoms might be related to mental health, pointing to domestic violence she had experienced a few years prior.
By November, as her symptoms worsened to the point where walking more than 300 meters made her legs feel as though they were dying, further tests including a CT scan of her spine found no underlying cause. She was subsequently diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND).
Gangrene Discovery and Buerger’s Disease Diagnosis
Later that month, Thomas sought medical attention again for pain in her toe, which she initially believed was an ingrown toenail. Instead, a doctor determined that tissue in her toe was dying due to impaired blood circulation and gangrene had formed. Thomas was urgently referred to a vascular specialist at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.
A computed tomography examination revealed vascular blockages in both of her legs, leading to a diagnosis of Buerger’s disease. To prevent the risk of further infection and complications caused by the rare vascular condition, her right leg was amputated just below the knee.
