E-bike injuries: experience from an urban emergency department-a retrospective study from Switzerland.
Background. Between 2005 and 2012, annual sales of E-bikes in Switzerland increased from 1,792 to 52,941. This continuous and rapid transition from human-powered bicycles to an electric bicycle technology may indicate the increasing demand for low-cost transportation technology in combination with a healthy lifestyle. Material and Methods. In the present study, from April 2012 to September 2013, we retrospectively analysed E-bike accidents treated in the Emergency Department of our hospital by focusing on the following parameters: age, gender, time, period, and cause of the accident, as well as injury and outcome. Results. Patients were predominantly male. The mean age of injured E-cyclists was 47.5 years. The main causes of injury were self-accident. Most injuries were to the head/neck. The mean ISS was 8.48. The outcome showed that 9 patients were treated as outpatients, 9 were inpatients, and 5 patients were kept in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Only six patients underwent surgery (S). Discussion. This is the first attempt to evaluate E-bike injuries in Switzerland in an acute hospital setting. Since there is increasing popular preference for E-bikes as means of transportation and injuries to the head or neck are prevalent among E-cyclists, the hazard should not to be underestimated.
Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital and University of Bern, Freiburgstraße 16c, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
Sylvana
S
Papoutsi
Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital and University of Bern, Freiburgstraße 16c, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
Luca
L
Martinolli
Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital and University of Bern, Freiburgstraße 16c, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
Christian Tasso
CT
Braun
Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital and University of Bern, Freiburgstraße 16c, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
Aristomenis K
AK
Exadaktylos