Echocardiographic evaluation of TASER X26 probe deployment into the chests of human volunteers

Abstract

Several animal studies have shown that the TASER X26 (TASER International, Scottsdale, Ariz) conducted electrical weapon can electrically capture the myocardium when discharged on the thorax. These results have not been reproduced in human echocardiographic studies. A primary limitation of those human studies is that the TASER device was connected by taping the wires into conductive gel on the skin surface of the thorax. This study overcomes those limitations. In this study, a training instructor discharged a TASER X26 into the chests of 10 subjects from a distance of 7 ft so that a 5-second discharge could be administered through the probes as in field exposures. Limited echocardiography was performed before, during, and after discharge. In agreement with 2 prior studies by these authors, the TASER X26 did not electrically capture the human myocardium when used with probe deployment. These data are contrary to animal studies in which capture occurred.