The Trauma Burden of Electric Scooter-Related Injuries Presenting to a Single-Centre Trauma and Orthopaedic Department in Central Birmingham

Background and objective Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been adopted as a popular mode of transport, both in the UK and internationally, as part of a growing movement for greener forms of transport. Despite its environmental advantages, e-scooter use has been associated with rising trauma presentations to healthcare systems worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the burden of e-scooter-related injuries presenting to a single trauma and orthopaedic (T&O) centre before and after the introduction of the Birmingham e-scooter rental scheme. Methods A retrospective observational study was conducted to identify all e-scooter-related trauma presentations referred to the on-call T&O department at an inner-city hospital in Birmingham between 2018 and 2022. Data collected included patient demographics, injury patterns, surgical intervention rates, and length of hospital stay. Injuries were classified into long-bone fractures, other fractures, soft tissue injuries, spinal injuries, and head injuries. The study included both e-scooter riders and pedestrians. Results A total of 74 patients were included in the study, with a median age of 21 years (range: 2-86), and 73% (n = 54) were male. Limb fractures accounted for 73% (n = 54) of injuries, including 50% (n = 27) long-bone fractures and 11% (n = 6) open fractures. Soft tissue injuries comprised 19% (n = 14) of total injuries, head injuries 7% (n = 5), and spinal injuries 1% (n = 1). Of note, 70% of all patients required surgery for their injuries, with a mean inpatient stay of 3.4 days, and four patients were identified as pedestrians. The majority of the e-scooter-related trauma (87.8%) occurred after the introduction of the rental scheme in October 2020. Conclusions The introduction of the Birmingham rental e-scooter scheme has been associated with a marked increase in orthopaedic trauma, with a significant proportion requiring operative management. This highlights the significant burden of e-scooter-related trauma on orthopaedic services and emphasises the need for enhanced safety measures and evaluation of the impact of such schemes on healthcare services.