Effect of High- and Low-Frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Angiogenesis and Myofibroblast Proliferation in Acute Excisional Wounds in Rat Skin.
Adv Skin Wound Care 2018;
29:357-63. [PMID:
27429241 DOI:
10.1097/01.asw.0000488721.83423.f3]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the effects of high- (HF) and low-frequency (LF) transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on angiogenesis and myofibroblast proliferation in acute excisional wounds in rat skin.
DESIGN
This was an experimental controlled and randomized study.
PARTICIPANTS
An excisional wound was made on the back of 90 adult male EPM1-Wistar rats using an 8-mm punch.
INTERVENTIONS
The animals were randomly assigned to the HF group (80 Hz), LF group (5 Hz), or control group. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (pulse duration, 200 microseconds; current amplitude, 15 mA) was delivered (session length, 60 minutes) on 3 consecutive days.
MEAN OUTCOME MEASURE
Immunohistochemistry was performed on postoperative days 3, 7, and 14 for counting blood vessels and myofibroblasts.
MEAN OUTCOME RESULTS
The LF group had significantly more blood vessels than the HF group on day 3 (P = .004). The HF group had significantly less blood vessels than did the control group on days 7 (P = .002) and 14 (P = .034) and less myofibroblasts than did both the LF and control groups on day 3 (P = .004) and less than did the control group on day 7 (P = .001).
CONCLUSION
There seems to be a benefit to the use of LF transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in the healing of acute excisional wounds, but further studies are warranted.
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