Effect of anodal and cathodal microamperage direct current electrical stimulation on injury potential and wound size in guinea pigs

Abstract

Abstract-Injury potential may have a regulatory role in the wound healing process, and exogenous electrical stimulation (ES) may mimic natural endogenous bioelectric current that can improve wound healing. Until now, the influence of externally applied ES on injury potential has not been demonstrated during the healing of acute wounds. Thirty-nine male guinea pigs were randomly divided into a control group (sham treatment) and two experimental groups: anodal and cathodal direct current (DC). A 2.5 cm-long full-thickness skin incision was made on each animal's dorsal region. Differential skin surface potential was measured before and immediately after the injury and also through day 21 of the healing period; wound surface area (WSA) was also measured throughout the 21-day healing period. Immediately after injury, wound potential significantly increased in all three groups, reaching a maximum on day 1 for the control and cathodal groups and day 3 for the anodal group (p < 0.05), then decreasing through the healing period. Wound potential returned to preinjury levels by the end of the healing period in the anodal group only. By days 19 and 21, wound potential had decreased more for the anodal group than the control group (p < 0.05). By day 15 for the anodal group and day 17 for the cathodal group, WSA had decreased more compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Anodal microamperage DC ES is appropriate for improving the healing of acute skin wounds because it causes both the wound surface to close and the wound potential to return to preinjury levels faster.

Galvanotactic Migration of EA.Hy926 Endothelial Cells in a Novel Designed Electric Field Bioreactor

“…For example, a steady EF of 450-1600 mV/mm had been measured across the wall of the amphibian neural tube during early neuronal development and disrupting this disturbed neural development [4]. At surface wounds, a steady EF of at least 40 mV/mm in bovine cornea and 100-200 mV/mm in guinea pig skin arises as soon as the wound occurs, and this persists until reepithelialization is complete [5,6]. Endogenous EFs also exist in and around the vasculature, For example, f-potentials arise from the flow of blood in large blood vessels and are 100-400 mV at the blood endothelial cell interface [4].…”

Role of sensory and motor intensity of electrical stimulation on fibroblastic growth factor-2 expression, inflammation, vascularization, and mechanical strength of full-thickness wounds

“…ES has beneficial effects on the wound-healing process [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][35][36][37], but the mechanism of these effects remains unclear. Angiogenesis factors play an important role in various phases of wound healing [2][3][4][5][6][7][8].…”

High-Voltage Pulsed Current Electrical Stimulation in Wound Treatment

“…14,32,33 Mehmandoust et al 32 (2007) investigated the effects of anodal and cathodal ES on acute wound healing. In an RCT 42 male albino guinea pigs were divided into two control groups (C1 and C2) and four experimental groups (E1-E4).…”

“…Talebi et al 33 (2008) studied the effect of anodal and cathodal ES on injury potential and wound size in guinea pigs. Injury potential may have a regulatory role in the wound healing process and exogenous ES may mimic natural bioelectric current that may improve wound healing.…”