Surgical-Site Infection Following Maxillofacial Fracture Repair in E-Scooter and E-Bike Trauma: A Retrospective...

To investigate the incidence, anatomical risk factors, and peri-operative determinants of surgical-site infection (SSI) after operative repair of maxillofacial fractures caused by E-scooter and E-bike trauma, a rapidly emerging cause of urban injuries.

A retrospective cohort of 129 consecutive patients with micromobility-related facial fractures (2017-2022) was analyzed. Demographic, injury, operative, and pharmacologic variables were extracted from medical records. SSI was defined according to CDC/NHSN criteria and graded using the Clavien-Dindo classification. Comparative analyses employed Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney U tests.

SSI occurred in 3.1% (4/129; 95% CI 0.9-7.7%) of patients, all of whom were classified as Clavien-Dindo grade III and required reoperation or intravenous therapy. Infections were exclusively confined to sinus-bearing fractures (orbit, frontal, zygomatic), with significant clustering in orbital fractures (p = 0.023) and sparing of the mandible (p = 0.041). ORIF carried the highest burden, with an infection rate of 8.6%, while one case was managed with isolated soft-tissue repair. Neither operative duration, emergency status, steroids, nor antibiotic prophylaxis reduced the risk of infection. Infected patients had longer hospitalizations (7 vs. 5 days) and markedly prolonged surveillance periods (60 vs. 8 weeks; p = 0.053).

Although uncommon, SSI in micromobility trauma occurs in 3.1% of patients and demonstrates an anatomical concentration within sinus-bearing fractures. These findings describe the occurrence and anatomical distribution of SSI within a micromobility-related facial trauma cohort and may inform future hypothesis-driven studies.