Vacation under water: woman fights for survival after fish bite!

Vacation under water: woman fights for survival after fish bite!

Heike Meyer, a 45-year-old woman from Kassel, survived a nightmare incident that took place during a vacation in Dertürkei. In the Bay of Evrenseki, where she stayed with her husband in a hotel, she suffered an animal bite that developed into Nekrotizing fasciitis The bite could come from a turtle, said a doctor in Kassel.

After the incident, Heike Meyer diagnosed blood poisoning, which led to severe sepsis. Due to the severity of her illness, she was hospitalized immediately after her return to Kassel. There she stayed in the intensive care unit for several weeks and was made by Dr. Mehrnoofh Akhavanpoor, the chief physician of plastic surgery. Over ten operations and comprehensive skin transplants were necessary to save their leg. The medical assessment was that the rescue of the leg was a "miracle".

The dangers of necrotizing fasciitis

necrotizing fasciitis is acute, bacterial soft tissue infection that affects the skin, subcutaneous and fascia. Their incidence is 0.4 to 1.0 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The most common triggers are skin injuries and skin infections, the most common pathogens are A-streptococci and other bacteria. The symptoms often start acutely with severe pain, swelling and skin changes that can lead to serious complications, including shock and multi -organ failure.

The necessary therapy includes intensive care treatment of sepsis and the radical de -nekrotic tissue. In some cases, an amputation remains the last remedy to prevent further spread of the infection, while systemic antibiotic therapy is crucial for the success of the treatment. In hot weather, vibrions in waters are particularly risk that are associated with raw seafood or contaminated water.

Return to normality

Heike Meyer's state stabilized in the hospital after several weeks and she was put into the artificial coma. After staying in the intensive care unit, she now receives care for her leg daily. Their tetanus vaccination was overdue at the time of the bite, which may have contributed to the severity of her illness. Heike and her husband spend Christmas in contemplative togetherness after the incident.

The incident, which is considered a rare and severe case of necrotizing fasciitis, is strongly reminiscent of the dangers that can lurk in waters, especially in warm temperatures. In Germany, cases of this kind are very rare, whereby only 0 to 20 cases per year were reported on average between 2002 and 2019. Nevertheless, awareness of such risks, especially in the event of leisure activities in the water, remains essential.