[Bipolar impulses or direct current as an adjuvant treatment of incisional hernia? Comparative experimental animal...

The electrostimulation of the cicatricial healing in the abdominal wall were tested in 119 Wistar rats by means of bipolar rectangularly pulsed current (0.87 Hz, +/- 25 mu A) and direct current (1 mu A). Doubling of the fascia of an abdominal wall hernia was carried out in three groups of rats. In the first group the operational region was stimulated by rectangularly pulsed current, strong proliferated cicatrices were formed with premature production of fibroblasts and collagenous fibres, fast maturation, and high strength. In the second group it was stimulated by direct current, a less exact longitudinal orientation of the collagenous fibres and a slower cicatricial maturation were shown. The third group applied as a control showed a cicatricial distension up to 5 mm. The electrostimulation of the proliferation of connective tissue and cicatricial healing could be pointed out between different tissues (peritoneum and fascia).