Intracranial Penetrating Taser Dart Injury

A healthy 52-year-old male presents to the emergency department after being tased and found to have an intracranial penetrating taser dart injury to the left frontal bone. The patient displayed somnolence with disorientation but no focal neurologic deficits on initial evaluation. Radiograph and computed tomography imaging demonstrated taser penetration into the cranial vault without clear evidence of active hemorrhage. Management with neurosurgery was planned; however, the patient eloped before intervention, a decision that could have had severe consequences. The patient later reported that the barb was removed in a nonmedical setting and denied known complications. Tasers can penetrate the skull and intracranial vault, posing risks of hemorrhage and infection. Although the patient reported no medical complications, emergency physicians remain vigilant for such sequelae during patient evaluation.