E-Bike Injuries : Experience from an Urban Emergency Department—A Retrospective Study from Switzerland

Abstract EN

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.