TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2017//
TI  - Orthopaedic injuries among electric bicycle users
JO  - Injury
A1  - Tenenbaum, Shay
A1  - Weltsch, Daniel
A1  - Bariteau, Jason T.
A1  - Givon, Adi
A1  - Peleg, Kobi
A1  - Thein, Ran
SP  - 2140
EP  - 2144
VL  - 48
IS  - 10
N2  - INTRODUCTION: The use of electric bicycles (E-bike) has dramatically increased. E-bikes offer convenient, environmental-friendly, and less expensive alternative to other forms of transport. However, E-bikes provide a new public health challenge in terms of safety and injury prevention. This study is the first to specifically investigate the E-bike related orthopaedic injuries, based on a national trauma registry. <br><br>METHODS: Data from a National Trauma Registry were reviewed for patients hospitalized following E-bike related injuries. Between Jan 2014 to Dec 2015, a total of 549 patients were reviewed. Data were analyzed according to demography, type of orthopaedic injury, associated injuries and severity, injury mechanism and treatment in the operating room. <br><br>RESULTS: A total of 360 (65%) patients sustained orthopaedic injuries, out of them 230 (63.8%) sustained limb/pelvis/spine fractures. Lower extremity fractures were more prevalent than upper extremity fractures (p<0.001). The tibia was the most fractured bone (19.2%). Patients over the age of 50 years were at the highest risk for spine (20. 5%, p=0.0001), pelvis (15.9%, p=0.0001) and femoral neck (15.9%, p=0.0172) fractures relative to other age groups. Approximately 42% of patients sustained associated injuries, with head/neck/face injuries being the most prevalent (30.3%). followed by chest (11.9%) and abdominal injury (13.3%). A collision between E-bike and a motorized vehicle was the mechanism of injury in 35% of cases. In this mechanism of injury, patients had 1.7 times the risk for associated injuries (p<0.0001) and the risk for major trauma (ISS score ≥16) was more than the double (p=0.03). One third of patients with orthopaedic injuries required treatment in the operating room. Treatment varied depending on the type of fracture. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: This study provides unique information on epidemiological characteristics of orthpaedic injuries caused be E-bikes, pertinent both to medical care providers, as well as to health policy-makers allocating resources and formulating prevention strategies.<br><br>Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0020-1383
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2017.08.020
ID  - ref1
ER  -