Prof. at Akdeniz University Hospital in 2010. Dr. Cihan Topal, who underwent the first double arm transplant in Türkiye by Ömer Özkan and his team, works as a farmer with his family in the Terziler District of Aydın, built on steep slopes. Topal, who continues his daily life in difficult terrain conditions with his transplanted arms, collects olives and Aydın's famous mountain figs in his gardens on steep slopes with his family, and carries the products in sacks.
Cihan Topal lost his right to drive a car and motorcycle during the renewal process of his old type driver's licenses. Topal, who has been driving a car with a class B license for years and a motorcycle with a class A2 license he received in 2015, applied to renew his driver's license on October 15, 2025. After the evaluation and objection process at the medical boards, the referee committee gave a report saying 'He can be an F class driver'.
'I WANTED TO HAVE TWO HANDS TO HOLD MY DAUGHTER'S HAND'
Explaining that he lost both hands in a work accident in 2008, Cihan Topal said that his life changed suddenly. Stating that he lived without his hands for two years, Topal said that in 2010, Prof. Dr. He explained that he started a new life with the double arm transplant performed by Ömer Özkan and his team. Topal said, "I had a 6-month-old daughter when I lost both hands, and she is now 18 years old. The day I decided to have the surgery, I said, 'God, if it's going to happen when my daughter is little, I should have two hands. Enough to hold my daughter's hand, take her to a school, a park, and caress her hair. Thank God, in 2010, thanks to my teacher Prof. Dr. Ömer Özkan and the donor family, I got two arms and I can hold my daughter's hand."
HE NAMED HIS SON 'ÖMER ÖZKAN'
Explaining that he started to do many things in his life again after the transplant, Topal said that Prof. also performed the surgery on his son, who was born in 2014. Dr. He said that he gave Ömer Özkan's name. Topal said, "Now I can hold my children's hands, caress their hair. I can drive my car and motorcycle. I can pick my figs in my garden. It is a great feeling to do all of these."
HE APPLIED TO RENEW HIS DRIVING LICENSE
Stating that he still used the driver's license he received in the 2000s after his arm transplant, Topal said that he had been traveling by car with his family for years. Topal said, "I can go to Antalya with my children, my wife, or to any corner of Türkiye by car. Even though I did not have any traffic accidents, radar or other penalties, I applied to the family medicine clinic in Aydın on October 15, 2025 for driver's license renewal." Explaining that his family physician referred him to an orthopedic specialist at Aydın State Hospital, Topal stated that he was referred to the medical board from there. "I asked the doctor why, he said, 'I cannot go beyond the regulations.' I said, 'Sir, I came with my car. My car is in the parking lot. I am driving my car. You just saw it,'" Topal said.
IT WAS SENT FROM MUĞLA TO IZMIR
Stating that he was given a report stating that he cannot drive a commercial vehicle or motorcycle by the commission at the Aydın Provincial Health Directorate, Topal said that he objected to the decision. Explaining that he was referred to Muğla Training and Research Hospital upon objection, Topal said that after the evaluation there, he was sent to the arbitration committee at Izmir Konak District Health Directorate on 25 November 2025.
'HE CAN BE A CLASS F DRIVER' REPORT FROM THE ARBITRATION COMMITTEE
Stating that the arbitral tribunal in Izmir decided that he could be an F class driver, Topal said, "In other words, it is an agricultural vehicle, a tractor. I cannot drive my car anymore because my normal driver's license has not been renewed. I cannot meet the needs of my children. I was a marketer to support my family. I cannot do these right now. I cannot go anywhere with my car. I want this to be resolved as soon as possible and I want my driver's license back."
'I USE THE TRACTOR, I CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR'
Stating that he can meet the needs of his daily life with his transplanted arms, Topal said, "I can hold my daughter and son's hand and take them to school, caress their hair, hug them. I can meet all my needs. I can pick our own figs and olives. I can shop in the market, take the money out of my own pocket, give it to the marketer, and take the bag from them."
Stating that he has been using vehicles and tractors for years in the rough terrain in the region where he lives, Topal said, "It is very difficult to drive a tractor or a car around here. But since we have been using this for years, it is not a problem for us. You have seen how I drive a car and tractor in the rough terrain."
'A2 DRIVING LICENSE WAS GRANTED IN 2015, IT IS NOT RENEWED NOW'
Arguing that the decision was contradictory for him, Topal said that the double arm transplant was performed in 2010, and 5 years later, he received a class A2 motorcycle license with a medical report. Topal said, "I got an A2 motorcycle license 5 years after the surgery. I got it with a full-fledged hospital report. When I went to the same hospital to renew my license, I could not get the report. There is a funny situation here. While I got an A2 motorcycle license 5 years after the surgery, when I went to renew my license 10 years later, they told me, 'You cannot drive a commercial vehicle or a motorcycle.'"
Topal said, "I can do everything like a normal citizen. I want my driver's license to be given to me as soon as possible. Because I work as a marketer to meet the needs of my children. We sell our own products, figs, walnuts and olives in the market."
ÖZKAN: THERE ARE VERY FEW EXAMPLES IN THE WORLD
Prof., who performed Türkiye's first double arm transplant. Dr. Ömer Özkan said that after arm transplants, legal and administrative issues related to daily life such as fingerprints and driver's licenses have been brought to the agenda before. Pointing out that Topal had a driver's license before he lost his arms, Prof. Dr. Özkan said, "Before this, this child is a child with a driver's license and arms. During that period, he walked around without arms, with or without a prosthesis, for two years. Then, when his arms were made, he continued his driver's license as if his previous driver's license would continue. Of course, it is better than if he did not have arms, but there will be a slight difference as long as he has arms. But he uses his arms and continues his life. He has used this driver's license for over 10 years."
'NO MEDICAL PROBLEMS'
Prof. Dr. Özkan said, "Even if there is a scar in 5 or 10 percent of the time, or even if you have a minor injury on the arm, doctors give the necessary report. From the doctors' point of view, there is no medical problem. But compared to the past, these need to be taken into consideration in some way. Because there is nothing like it. There are very few examples in the world. It is something that has happened to us for the first time. There needs to be a regulation regarding this."
'THERE ARE BOTH FINANCIAL AND LEGISLATIVE PROBLEMS'
Prof. stated that if people with arm transplants are required to use specially equipped vehicles, the economic aspect of this should also be evaluated. Dr. Özkan said, "If they are to be given a suitable car or a driver's license, these are people with certain financial circumstances. We need to help in terms of legislation. Of course, the state provides all the support it can, gives tax deductions, but a person who has driven a car before, lived his life, and has very little income does not have the chance to buy a new car and cannot sustain his life." Prof. stated that he knew that Topal had applied to the relevant institutions. Dr. Özkan said, "I guess there is both a financial and legislative problem. I think a new regulation should be made based on these examples. In fact, the necessary initiatives are being taken, but it is probably a little delayed. He also wants to continue his life."
'THE TRACTOR IS USED ON MUCH MORE DANGEROUS TERRAIN'
Prof. also evaluated the report that Topal could be an F-class driver. Dr. Özkan said, "As far as I know, a person with a tractor license drives a tractor in much more dangerous terrain. Either we will help, the legislation will help, or we need to support this in some other way so that people can continue their lives."
'HE CAN FULFILL HIS NEEDS IN DAILY LIFE'
Prof. stated that routine checks of Topal's transplanted arms are continuing. Dr. Özkan stated that the results were good in terms of functional and structural aspects and said, "He uses his arms in the best way possible, both functionally and structurally, he continues his life, meets his needs, drives his car. After all, we do not expect him to do fine-tuned work or play the piano like a very good artist. But he is in a situation where he can fulfill his needs in the life of a normal person."
'IT WILL BE AN EXAMPLE FOR FUTURE TRANSPLANTS TOO'
Pointing out that Cihan Topal's driver's license problem is also important for other transplant patients in the future, Özkan said, "This is a situation that will set an example for other patients who have undergone surgery and what will happen in the future. There is no natural example of this. We should not blame anyone for this. We need to be prepared and the relevant institutions and we need to support them."
