Evaluation of Electric Scooter Use-Related Upper Extremity Injuries Based on Orthopedic Outpatient Clinic Applications
Project no. 28461 · Status: Kapanmış (Yayın bekleniyor) · 2023
Summary
<p><strong>Introduction and aim:</strong></p><p>Electric scooters (e-scooters) have become popular as a means of transportation in recent years as a result of technological developments. The e-scooter sharing system in Turkey started in March 2019, and the fact that it can be rented through mobile applications and is easily accessible has made the use of e-scooters quite widespread.</p><p>The primary purpose of this study is to describe the injury data of patients admitted to Ege University Faculty of Medicine Hospital with e-scooter-related injuries and to examine the associated risk factors. As a secondary purpose; It is aimed to increase protective measures and contribute to the legal regulations in the light of the data on e-scooter injuries occurring in our country.</p><p><br></p><p> <strong>Materials and Methods:</strong></p><p> Patients who presented to the emergency department after e-scooter injuries between June 2020 and November 2022 were evaluated. Upper and lower extremity-related trauma data of the admitted patients were examined retrospectively and by patient interview method.</p><p>Demographic data of the cases such as age, gender, profession, and education level; Environmental risk factors such as the type of ground they fell on, weather conditions and location of the accident were examined. Personal risk factors such as the number of people riding the scooter at the time of the accident, alcohol use, as well as whether the driver had a driver's license, use of safety equipment, income level and whether the driver could use a bicycle or motorcycle were evaluated. In addition, whether the scooter belongs to the rental company or the individual, the cause of the accident; Extremity dominance, location, extent of the injury (damaged structures and degree of damage), required/applied treatment, and operation data of the operated patients were included in the analysis.</p><p> <strong> Results:</strong></p><p> Of the 68 patients evaluated, 67% were male and 60.3% were students. 38 (55%) were university graduates or students. 57.4% of the patients had an accident between 16.00 and 00.00. When the surgical rate and conservative follow-up status are examined, fractures occur in 94.1% of the cases; Fractures requiring surgery were detected in 38.2%. Only 14 out of 68 patients fell on the bike path. The prognosis of patients who fell on the bike path was better . 40 of 61 patients had upper extremity fractures, 16 of which were elbow and above-elbow fractures . 92.6% of the patients did not use safety equipment. 48% of the patients did not have a driver's license. Patients who had an accident during their first use of the scooter had a worse prognosis.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Discussion and Conclusion</strong>:</p><p>Contrary to popular belief, e-scooter-related injuries cause serious injuries. When the cause of accidents is examined, having small and hard wheels reduces the overstepping and skipping capacities, thus ground-related accidents occur more frequently (32.4%). When the patients were evaluated in terms of experience, it was observed that people who had previously used scooters fell more, regardless of experience. Since 92.6% of patients do not use safety equipment, the majority of fractures are elbow and above-elbow fractures, which can be reduced with the use of appropriate safety equipment.</p><p>As a result, it has been seen that contrary to popular belief, e-scooter accidents cause serious injuries and protective and preventive measures regarding scooter use should be taken at the official level.</p><p><br></p><p>Key Words: Motorized scooter, Upper extremity, Bone fracture</p>