Serious injuries related to the Segway® personal transporter: a case series.
OBJECTIVE
We describe a case series of emergency department (ED) visits for injuries related to the Segway® personal transporter.


METHODS
This was a retrospective case review using a free-text search feature of an electronic ED medical record to identify patients arriving April 2005 through November 2008. Data were hand extracted from the record, and further information on admitted patients was obtained from the hospital trauma registry.


RESULTS
Forty-one cases were included. The median age was 50 years, and 30 patients (73.2%) were women. Twenty-nine (70.7%) of the patients resided outside the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, and 32 (78.1%) arrived between June and September. Seven (17.1%) patients had documented helmet use. Ten (24.4%) were admitted. Four patients (40% of admitted patients) required admission to the ICU.


CONCLUSIONS
The severity of trauma in this case series of patients injured by the use of the self-balancing personal transporter is significant. Further investigation into the risks of use, as well as the optimal length and type of training or practice, is warranted. A distinct E-code and Consumer Product Safety Commission's product code is needed to enable further investigation of injury risks for this mode of transportation.
Boniface
Keith
K
Department of Emergency Medicine, The George Washington University Medical Center, 2150 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC 20037, USA.
McKay
Mary Pat
MP
Lucas
Raymond
R
Shaffer
Alison
A
Sikka
Neal
N
D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004219:District of Columbia; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology; D006260:Head Protective Devices; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology*