Electrical Stimulation to Accelerate Wound Healing

Electrical stimulation may offer a unique treatment option to heal complicated and recalcitrant wounds, improve flap and graft survival, and even reduce the likelihood of ulceration. Electrical stimulation has been suggested to reduce infection, improve cellular immunity, increase perfusion, relieve pain, improve plantar sensation, and accelerate wound healing. Electrical stimulation could have positive effect on not only increasing skin perfusion in patients with diabetes but also could improve mobility and balance via enhancing plantar sensation as demonstrated in our recent study. Thus, plantar stimulation not only may be beneficial to accelerate wound healing in diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) patients but also may assist to improve mobility and reduce the likelihood of recurrence of ulcers. This study is proposed to examine the effectiveness of an innovative portable electrical stimulation platform (Tennant Biomodulator by AVAZZIA) to accelerate wound healing in DFU patients. It is hypothesized that 1) electrical stimulation will have an immediate effect on increasing skin perfusion (immediate benefit) and 2) daily use of the Tennant Biomodulator for 4 consecutive weeks is effective to speed up wound healing, increase skin perfusion, reduce pain, and improve balance and mobility in DFU patients (long term benefit)