CINCINNATI -- An Ohio man will have his leg amputated Tuesday because of a little-known disease that was borne from a well-known addiction.

BUERGER'S DISEASE Rare Disease Leads To Amputation Former Smoker Awaits Tuesday's Operation

Tobacco in cigarettes is the only known cause of Buerger's disease, which has caused Walter Panke's big left toe to turn black, reported WLWT-TV in Cincinnati. Other toes in his left foot are dying as well.

"It started in the tip of my toe, and it's been working its way back," Panke said. "I only smoked for seven years."

Now, Panke doesn't have to smoke tobacco to have a reaction; all he has to do is touch the leaves of some tobacco plants or walk into a smoke-filled restaurant. In such instances, he could suffer a reaction so severe that he might have to have the other leg amputated.

The reaction inflames the interior of blood vessels, which causes clotting and eventually cuts off blood flow to the extremities. And the narrowing of the vessels cannot be reversed.

"It can go all the way up your legs," said Panke's father, Dr. Thomas Panke. "It can also involve your arms. This goes far beyond legs. It can cause very serious problems, and can lead to your death."

Panke's leg will be amputated just below the knee.

There's no test for Buerger's disease, and most are like Panke in that they only find out they're susceptible after the disease has progressed far beyond pain.

Buerger's disease affects about six out of every 10,000 people, mostly men ages 20 to 40 who are heavy smokers. It's most common in the Orient, Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East, but is rare among blacks.

Johns Hopkins University: Buerger's Disease