By Spooky on September 12th, 2025 Category: News
An elderly shopkeeper in Turkey almost lost his left arm after his hand became seriously infected as a result of a human bite during an attempted robbery.
Doctors frequently warn that another human’s bite is often more dangerous than that of a dog or a cat, but a 60-year-old man in Istanbul, Turkey, found that out the hard way after nearly losing his arm. The case occurred last year, but it was only reported by Turkish media this year, after it was published in a scientific journal by the doctors who treated the patient. In early 2024, a 60-year-old shop owner was robbed while working at his store in Üsküdar, a district of Istanbul. Two masked men entered the shop after closing with the clear intention of stealing, so the owner tried to stop them. In the physical struggle that ensued, the 60-year-old managed to immobilize one of the thieves, who bit his hand hard in a desperate attempt to escape.
Photo: DHA
Overwhelmed by the pain, the shop owner had no choice but to let go of the thief, who escaped with his accomplice. Both men are still at large to this day, but the 60-year-old man is less worried about that and more thankful for having an unexpected ordeal. He went to a local clinic to have his hand wound tended to, and he was sent home after receiving the necessary medical attention. Unfortunately, his health worsened soon after, as he began experiencing fever and tremors. He went to the Sultan Abdulhamid Han Training and Research Hospital, where doctors informed him that he was suffering from an infection caused by the robber’s bite.
Despite the hospital staff’s best efforts to stave off the infection, the elderly man’s situation worsened over the next two weeks and the infection climbed up his arm. It had changed color and swollen to double its normal size, but doctors were powerless to stop it. Faced with the risk of amputation, the hospital decided to try hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which can help wounds, especially infected ones, heal more quickly.
The doctors’ bet paid off, and within a week, the patient had made significant improvements. After cleaning the wound and removing the necrotic tissue, the hospital was able to save the man’s arm. After three months of physiotherapy, he regained the full function of his arm.
Photo: DHA
“Bacteria from the human oral flora can cause serious problems by penetrating the subcutaneous tissue. In this case, the patient’s hand size increased significantly, complicating his recovery,” Dr. Yavuz Aslan told the Demirören News Agency (DHA).
This case is currently being documented in the medical literature, highlighting the severity of infections caused by human bites. As for the shop owner, he recently had to deal with another robbery, but this time there was no biting.