ELECTRICAL-STIMULATION TO HEAL DERMAL WOUNDS

BACKGROUND. Numerous human and animal efficacy studies have demonstrated that electrical stimulation of the correct charge, density and total energy causes dramatically improved healing of dermal wounds. The investigations of biological actions (in vitro, animal, and human) demonstrate several effects that go a long way to explaining why electrical stimulation works. OBJECTIVE. To discuss recent research and advances in electrical stimulation of wound healing. RESULTS. Based on the latest scientific understanding of the wound healing process, one would expect a beneficial outcome from a therapy what decreases edema, debrides necrotic tissue, attracts neutrophils and macrophages, stimulates receptor sites for growth factors, stimulates growth of fibroblasts and granulation tissue, increases blood flow, stimulates neurite growth, induces epidermal cell migration, prevents post-ischemic oxygen radical-mediated damage, inhibits bacteria, and reduces numbers of mast cells. CONCLUSION. Taken together, the efficacy studies and the ''mechanism of action'' studies provide compelling, scientific evidence that electrical stimulation is safe and effective for promoting the healing of dermal wounds.