Less-Lethal Law Enforcement Weapons: Clinical Management of Associated Injuries in the Emergency Department

Points & Pearls Excerpt

• Patients presenting with diffuse muscular pain after conducted electrical weapon (CEW) deployment should have a creatine kinase, urine dipstick, and renal function checked.
• To remove TASER barbs: (1) grasp dart or wire and pull firmly straight backwards; (2) place a 16-gauge needle over the barb portion and back the dart out of the skin; or (3) anesthetize the skin, make a small incision down to the barb, and remove the barb through the incision.
• If a CEW patient has an osseous injury, perform lavage and exploration of the area if tendon sheath, bone, or joint involvement is suspected.
• Patients with pre-existing cardiac disease or who use stimulant drugs may be more sensitive to dysrhythmia from the electrical current of CEWs.²²