@article{ref1,
title="Theoretical possibility of ventricular fibrillation during use of TASER neuromuscular incapacitation devices",
journal="Conference proceedings - IEEE engineering in medicine and biology society",
year="2008",
author="Panescu, Dorin and Kroll, Mark W. and Stratbucker, Robert A.",
volume="2008",
number="",
pages="5671-5674",
abstract="Introduction: TASER devices deliver electrical pulses that temporarily incapacitate suspects. This study analyzes the theoretical possibility of ventricular fibrillation (VF) induction by TASER currents. Methods and Results: Using finite element models (FEM), the results found that the skin, fat and anisotropic skeletal muscle layers attenuated a large portion of TASER currents, allowing just a fractional amount to penetrate transversally into deeper layers of tissue. The TASER current density reached 91 mA/cm(2), the threshold required to induce VF, at less than 14.7 mm away from the skin surface. This distance is significantly lower than the average skin-heart distance of 35 mm, as measured in subjects with a body-mass index (BMI) matched to that of typical in-custody suspects. The theoretical probability of inducing VF is significantly lower than 0.0000008, or 1:1,270,000. By comparison, the standard for basic safety and essential performance of medical electrical equipment, EN 60601-1, accepts as satisfactory a VF induction probability of 0.002, or 1:500. Conclusion: The results indicated that TASER devices, while not risk free, have a very low cardiac risk profile when used for suspect temporary incapacitation.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1557-170X",
doi="10.1109/IEMBS.2008.4650501",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/IEMBS.2008.4650501"
}