Physiological effects of the TASER® C2 conducted energy weapon

Abstract

In previous studies, exposure to conducted energy weapons (CEWs) (such as TASER International's Advanced TASER X26 device) resulted in leg muscle contraction, acidosis, increased blood electrolytes, and other biochemical and physiological changes. In the current study, experiments were performed to examine the effects of exposures to TASER International's "C2" CEW, which is specifically marketed to civilian rather than law-enforcement users. Ten pigs (Sus scrofa) were sedated with an intramuscular injection of Telezol (tiletamine HCl and zolazepam HCl) and intubated. General anesthesia was maintained with an IV propofol infusion. Applications of the C2 device for 30 s resulted in extensive muscle contraction and significant increases in heart rate and hematocrit, and in blood levels of pCO2, lactate, glucose, and potassium, sodium, and calcium ions. Significant decreases were observed in blood oxygen saturation, pO2, and pH. Qualitatively, many of these changes were consistent with previous reports in the literature dealing with studies of muscle stimulation or exercise. The changes in blood pCO2, pO2, electrolytes, lactate, and pH, however, were greater than in a previous study of three repeated 5-s exposures to the X26 CEW commonly used by law-enforcement personnel. On the basis of the results, potential detrimental effects due to use of the "citizen-version" TASER C2 CEW may be more likely than limited intermittent applications of the X26 CEW.

The cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic effects of a long duration electronic control device exposure in human volunteers

“…This is different from the law enforcement use that is to assist in control and restraint. Jauchem, et al previously studied the device in an animal model [8]. This study is the first to look at the cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic effects of this device in human subjects, and the first study of durations longer than 15 s in human subjects.…”

Repeated or long-duration TASER® electronic control device exposures: acidemia and lack of respiration

“…After reviewing data regarding all blood factors measured by Jauchem et al [13][14][15][16][17], blood lactate concentration exhibited one of the most consistent changes that was relatively dependent on the degree of CEW exposure (ranging from post-exposure values of approximately 4 mmol/l after a single X26 application to 24 mmol/l after 18 repeated 7-s applications of the X26). The large amount of muscle mass involved during CEW applications (all four limbs contracting concurrently) may lead one to intuitively expect such large amounts of blood lactate.…”

“…In addition to lactate and pH changes, Jauchem et al [13,14,16,17] found increased mixed venous blood pCO 2 values after CEW application. Pre-exposure values of pCO 2 were similar to venous blood values reported by Rose [50] for humans.…”

“…When considering repeated exposures to CEWs, a complex situation can result due to both muscle contractions and interruption of normal respiration. Respiration was significantly affected during CEW applications [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Both respiratory and metabolic changes could have contributed to acidemia.…”

“…In previous studies, exposures of anesthetized swine to CEWs (including TASER International's Advanced TA-SER X26 device) resulted in several consistent potentially detrimental effects, including acidemia and lack of effective respiration (e.g., [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]). (X26 is a trademark of TASER International, Inc.) Some of these studies were performed, not to analyze effects of projected law enforcement usage, but rather to initially characterize potential effects of repeated long-duration CEW applications that may be used in the future for relatively long-term incapacitation (as mentioned above).…”