Cranio-cervical and traumatic brain injury patterns—do they differ between electric bicycle, bicycle, and motorcycle-induced accidents?

With the growing technical options of power transmission and energy-saving options in electric drives, the number of E-bike-related accidents especially in an elderly population has increased. The aim of the current study was to compare if the increased velocity in comparison to conventional bikes translates into different injury patterns in the cranio-cervical and head region.

A retrospective cohort study was performed in patients admitted to our level one trauma center between 2009 and 2019 after being involved in an accident with either an E-bike, bicycle, or motorcycle and suffered cranio-cervical or traumatic brain injury. Outcomes: cranio-cervical/intracranial injury pattern. Data interpretation was conducted in an interdisciplinary approach.

From 3292 patients treated in this period, we included 1068 patients. E-bikers were significantly older than bicyclists (or motorcyclists) and lay between the other two groups in terms of helmet use. Overall injury patterns of E-bikers resembled those found in motorcyclists rather than in bicyclists. E-bikers had a higher incidence of different cerebral bleedings, especially if no helmet was worn. Helmet protection of E-bikers resulted in a comparable frequency of intracranial bleeding to the helmeted bicyclists.

The overall pattern of head and cervical injuries in E-bikers resembles more to that of motorcyclists than that of bicyclists. As they are used by a more senior population, multiple risk factors apply in terms of complications and secondary intracranial bleeding. Our study suggests that preventive measures should be reinforced, i.e., use of helmets to prevent from intracranial injury.