A hypnotist stunned medics by snubbing anaesthetic and sending himself into a trance before undergoing surgery.
Alex Lenkei, who could hear the cracking of bones as the surgeon sawed at his hand but felt nothing, is thought to be the first person in the world to perform the feat.
Mr Lenkei, a father-of-one from Worthing, told how he could hear his surgeon talking as he slit a four-inch cut in his right wrist to chisel out a walnut-sized chunk of bone and move a tendon.
Anaesthetist Richard Venn was on hand in case of any problems, but surgeon David Llewellyn-Clark was astonished to find that his patient showed no reaction to his work - even with a tight tourniquet around his upper arm.
The surgeon said he hoped hypnotism of patients could reduce fears about coming in for surgery, as well as lessen the amount of anaesthetic used to prevent patients becoming ill afterwards.
