PULSED MICROAMPERAGE STIMULATION - A CONTROLLED-STUDY OF HEALING OF SURGICALLY INDUCED WOUNDS IN YUCATAN PIGS

Background and Purpose. Microamperage direct current and microamperage electromagnetic stimulation are used to accelerate healing in bone Al though many clinicians are using microamperage stimulation to relieve pain and facilitate wound healing, there is significant question regar ding whether this low intensity direct current significantly accelerat es soft tissue wound repair The purpose of this study was to determine whether low-voltage pulsed microamperage current (100 muA 69 V, 0.1 H z) enhances the healing of superficial, full-thickness, or incisional wounds created to stimulate acute abrasions; ulcers, and lacerations S ubJects. Ten adult Yucatan mini pigs served as the subjects for this s tudy. Methods. Variables associated with healing were measured in 69 m atched pairs of surgically induced partial-thickness, full-thickness a nd incisional wounds after either sham or anodal (positive-polarity) s timulation with pulsed microamperage current (100 muA) was administere d for 1 hour per day for 5 days Sterile, disposable electrodes (2 x 4 cm) were placed over each wound, which was kept wrapped and protected throughout the study. Results. At 7 days postinjury, all wounds were h ealing well with no signs of infection. There were no differences in t ensile strength, collagen density maturity or deposition (hydroxyproli ne), wound size, or visual appearance between the sham treatment and t reatment. No changes in local subcutaneous oxygen or temperature were found in the swine during or after microamperage stimulation. Conclusi on and Discussion. This study did not provide any evidence to support the use of microamperage stimulation to accelerate wound healing No ne gative effects, however, were found. Further research is needed to det ermine whether there is a critical interaction between the size of the electrode relative to the wound, the density of the current, the dura tion of the treatment, the Polarity of the treatment electrode, and th e acuity or chronicity of wounding and the effectiveness of microcurre nt stimulation for wound healing.