Man who amputated own leg getting free surgery on other leg

BOADING, China, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- A Chinese man who used a metal saw and a knife to amputate his own leg has been offered free surgery to remove his other leg.

Zheng Yanliang, 47, of Boading in Hefei province, was diagnosed with an arterial embolism in his leg after he began suffering pain in January 2012, and he was told he would have only three months to live if he did not have the leg amputated, Sky News reported Friday.

Zheng's family said he was unable to afford the surgery at a hospital and a local doctor refused to carry out the procedure. Zheng ended up sawing his own leg off in April and he lost three teeth from biting down on a piece of wood during the procedure.

Zheng made an appeal to the public when he was diagnosed with another arterial embolism in his other leg and Dr. Zhang Qiang of the Shanghai Wode Medical Center came forward and offered to amputate the remaining leg for free.

"My medical colleagues and I will provide him with free medical services," Zhang said.