The mechanical injury potential of next-generation CEW darts is influenced by several factors, including dart velocity, shooting distance, impact location, tissue-specific variability, angle of impact, and body habitus. These biomechanical aspects of dart deployment onto the human body have been extensively addressed in previous studies [1]. However, the focus of this study was not on mechanical injuries but rather on the potential for electrical injuries during prolonged exposure.

Electrical shock trauma is known to produce complex injury patterns due to various frequency-dependent tissue-field interactions. In addition to thermal burns caused by Joule heating, mechanisms such as cell membrane permeabilization and electroconformational denaturation of macromolecules (e.g., proteins) have been identified as potential contributors to tissue damage, potentially leading to necrotic changes. Despite these theoretical risks, no macromorphological changes indicative of electrical injury were observed in any of the long-duration exposure sites examined in this study.

Consistent with prior research [2,3,4], dart penetration into human tissue typically results in perforation of the epidermis and the creation of a wound track through the dermis. Histological analysis in earlier studies has demonstrated an initial acute inflammatory response without evidence of vasculitis or thrombosis. As expected for minor wounds, these injuries transition to dry scabs within 24–48 h, showing no distinguishing characteristics that would identify them as CEW-related. The low infection risk associated with CEW darts further reduces the likelihood of wound healing complications [3]. After exposure, a primary wound care is sufficient, and no further wound-specific medical interventions are necessary [5].

Overall, the observed cutaneous injuries in this study appear to be attributable solely to the mechanical effects of dart penetration, with no evidence of electrical tissue damage. These wounds are expected to heal without scarring, further supporting the safety profile of the TASER 10 device during extended exposure.