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Functioning and Effectiveness of Electronic Control Devices Such as the TASER ® M‐ and X‐Series: A Review of the Current Literature
Author(s) -
Kunz Sebastian N.,
Zinka Bettina,
Fieseler Sybille,
Graw Matthias,
Peschel Oliver
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2012.02167.x
Subject(s) - poison control , suicide prevention , injury prevention , occupational safety and health , medline , medicine , current (fluid) , human factors and ergonomics , medical emergency , electrical engineering , engineering , political science , pathology , law
Conducted electrical weapons (CEWs) such as the TASER ® M‐ and X‐series deliver short high‐voltage, low‐current energy pulses to temporarily paralyze a person by causing electrical interruption of the body’s normal energy pulses. Despite many scientific publications, which classify the health risks of an appropriate use of the TASER device as minor, there still is a continuous uncertainty about possible side effects with human application. Based on a literature search of the National Library of Medicine’s MEDLINE database’s PubMed system of current publications, the following article describes the mechanisms by which the device operates and discusses possible pathophysiological consequences. The majority of current human literature has not found evidence of clinical relevant pathophysiological effects during and after an exposure of professionally applied CEWs. However, to be able to exclude possible health risks, a medical checkup of people who have been exposed to CEWs is essential.