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.