Taser Blunt Probe Dart-To-Heart Distance Causing Ventricular Fibrillation in Pigs

Author

Jiun-Yan Wu ; Hongyu Sun ; O´Rourke, A.P. ; O´Rourke, A.P. ; Huebner, S.M. ; Rahko, P.S. ; Will, J.A. ; Webster, J.G.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

Volume

55

Issue

12

fYear

2008

Firstpage

2768

Lastpage

2771

Abstract

The maximum distance between the heart and a model Taser stimulation dart, called the dart-to-heart distance, at which the Taser can directly cause ventricular fibrillation (VF), was measured in pigs. A 9-mm-long blunt probe was advanced snugly through the surrounding tissues toward the heart. Five animals [pig mass = 61.2plusmn6.23 standard deviation (SD) kg] for ten dart-to-heart distances where the Taser caused VF were tested. The dart-to-heart distances where the Taser caused VF of the first stimulation site ranged from 4 to 8 mm with average 6.2 mmplusmn1.79 (SD) and of the second stimulation site ranged from 2 to 8 mm with average 5.4 mmplusmn2.41 (SD). The results help inform the evolving discussion of risks associated with Tasers.

Keywords

bioelectric phenomena; cardiology; Taser stimulation dart; dart-to-heart distance; distance 2 mm to 8 mm; pigs; ventricular fibrillation; Animals; Biological materials; Biomedical engineering; Biomedical materials; Biomedical measurements; Current measurement; Electrical safety; Fibrillation; Heart; Humans; Probes; Safety devices; Sun; Torso; Electrical safety; Taser; electromuscular incapacitating device; fibrillation; safety; stun gun; ventricular fibrillation (VF); Animals; Electric Injuries; Electroshock; Equipment Safety; Risk Assessment; Swine; Ventricular Fibrillation;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Biomedical Engineering, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9294

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TBME.2008.2002154

Filename

4564192