‘I went to the GP when I noticed my legs becoming weak, now my life has changed forever'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A young chef who noticed his legs becoming “weak and wobbly” has been left paralysed from the waist down after having surgery for a rare spinal abnormality.

Matt Partington, 27, visited his GP after he noticed strange sensations in his legs in February. After he went to A&E at King’s College Hospital in London for an MRI scan in July, it was discovered Matt had a rare blood vessel abnormality in his spine called spinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM).

He underwent spinal surgery the following month and, while he was warned of the risks the operation posed, he claimed his surgeon told him it “would be a complete success”.

However, when he awoke, he discovered he was paralysed from the surgery site downwards because of a spinal cord injury. While physiotherapy has allowed Matt to regain small movements in his left leg, left foot and right toes, it is “too early to tell” if he will ever make a full recovery and walk again.