title: A brain penetration after Taser injury: controversies regarding Taser gun safety.
abstract: We report the case of a 27 year old man who was injured by a Taser gun device which penetrated the frontal part of the skull and damaged the underlying frontal lobe. Cerebral penetration was revealed by a brain CT scan. A neurosurgical procedure was required to remove the dart from the skull and brain and the evolution was successful allowing discharge of the patient one week later. There were no additional lesions, particularly electrifying lesion, as only one probe had penetrated the skull. We also observed the length of a Taser dart is sufficient to allow brain penetration. Fortunately, no infection or neurological complication occurred following brain injury. This case study underlines the potential risk induced by the use of Taser stun gun. Although generally regarded as a safe alternative, serious injuries have however been reported and questions regarding the safety of the device still remains unresolved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Rouen University Hospital-Charles Nicolle, 1 rue de Germont, 76031 Rouen Cedex, France. isabelle.leblanc@chu-rouen.fr
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Le Blanc-Louvry
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gricourt
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Touré
authors.forename: Fréderique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Papin
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Proust
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057667:Conducted Energy Weapon Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D020197:Head Injuries, Penetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016495:Police; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed