Assessment of the TASER XREP blunt impact and penetration injury potential using cadaveric testing.

TASER International's extended range electronic projectile (XREP) is intended to be fired from a shotgun, impact a threat, and apply remote neuromuscular incapacitation. This study investigated the corresponding potential of blunt impact injury and penetration. Forty-three XREP rounds were deployed onto two male human cadaver torsos at impact velocities between 70.6 and 95.9 m/sec (232 and 315 ft/sec). In 42 of the 43 shots fired, the XREP did not penetrate the abdominal wall, resulting in superficial wounds only. On one shot, the XREP's nose section separated prematurely in flight, resulting in penetration. No bony fractures were observed with any of the shots. The viscous criterion (VC), blunt criterion (BC), and energy density (E/A) were calculated (all nonpenetrating tests, average ± 1 standard deviation: VC: 1.14 ± 0.94 m/sec, BC: 0.77 ± 0.15, E/A: 22.6 ± 4.15 J/cm(2)) and, despite the lack of injuries, were generally found to be greater than published tolerance values.

Cardiac effects of varying pulse charge and polarity of TASER conducted electrical weapons.

The TASER(R) CEW (Conducted Electrical Weapon) is rapidly replacing the club in the English-speaking world for assisting in the arrest of resistant subjects and is now used by the majority of law enforcement agencies in the USA, Canada, and the UK. Animal safety studies of the CEW have focused on the risk of VF. We sought to determine the difference in cardiac capture and VF risk between the approximately 102 +/- 8 microC of the ubiquitous X26 and a me-tered 72 microC charge from an experimental device. It is well established from the bidomain theory and experimental data that a pacing electrode will capture the heart with significantly lower charge when the electrode touching the cardiac tissue is a cathode However, experimental data show that there is no difference in the ability of the anode vs the cathode to induce VF. We sought to evaluate the effect of polarity changes on cardiac capture and the induction of VF. Small swine ( approximately 20.0 kg) were anesthetized and ventilated. The apex of the heart was located via echocar-diography and a CEW probe was fully inserted towards the apex. Echocardiography was used to monitor cardiac contractions to determine cardiac capture. Both the X26 and the 72 microC pulses were delivered at both polarities to test for cardiac capture. Higher charge pulses (375 microC) were then delivered with both polarities to test for VF risk. The 72 microC experimental unit was unable to cause cardiac capture even in small swine with fully inserted probes directly over the apex of the heart. We found no polarity effect in the risk of VF in small swine with larger charge ( approximately 5x) pulses.