Physiological effects of the TASER C2 conducted energy weapon

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.