Electronic Scooter Versus Non-electronic Scooter Injuries: A Study Comparing Distal Radius Fracture Open Reduction and Internal Fixations in an Urban Trauma Centre

Background City centres in the UK have seen a gradual rise in electric scooters (E-scooters) as a form of transport and recreation. With this, accidents related to E-scooters have also risen dramatically worldwide, with an increasing number of studies exploring the profile of injury presentation and comparing E-scooters to similar modes of transport such as bicycles, but literature on this is still sparse and generalised. Despite this, there has been little increase in the regulations pertaining to the use of E-scooters. This study compares the characteristics of E-scooter and non-E-scooter-associated injuries in patients with distal radius fractures (DRFs) treated by open reduction internal fixations (ORIFs) at our local trauma centre. Methods A retrospective analysis of operatively treated DRFs was conducted between January 2014 and December 2021. Electronic patient records were reviewed for patient demographics, injury characteristics and management details. Radiographs were reviewed for fracture patterns. Results Three hundred and ninety DRF ORIFs were performed over the study period, with a significant increase in the percentage of DRF ORIFs caused by E-scooter injuries. Five incidents occurred in 2021, representing 7% of all DRF ORIFs that year. There were no significant differences in age (mean age: 36.2 for E-scooters vs. 41 for non-E-scooters) and gender between E-scooter-related and non-E-scooter-related DRFs. Patients with E-scooter-related DRFs treated by ORIFs were associated with a significantly greater proportion of polytrauma than those with non-E-scooters (p<0.001). A greater proportion of E-scooter riders also required a second operation (p<0.001) and longer hospital stay (p<0.001). Conclusion The incidence of E-scooter-related DRF ORIFs has rapidly increased at our centre in recent years. These patients' injuries are associated with greater polytrauma rates and longer hospital stay than non-E-scooter injuries, resulting in a greater toll on patients and health services. Clinicians treating trauma should be aware of the higher likelihood of multiple injuries in patients presenting after E-scooter injuries when compared to non-E-scooter injuries and be astute in examining for them. Policymakers, on the other hand, should be aware of the financial and societal costs of these injuries to enact stricter legislation.