A novel microcurrent dressing for wound healing in a rat skin defect model

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Wound Healing Research

Background:

• Exogenous low-intensity electric stimulation (ES) can mimic endogenous bioelectric currents to promote skin wound repair.
• A novel microcurrent dressing (MCD) was developed to deliver sustained ES.
• The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of MCD in a rat skin defect model.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize a novel microcurrent dressing (MCD).
• To assess the therapeutic potential of MCD for accelerating skin wound healing.
• To investigate the underlying mechanisms of MCD-induced wound repair.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of MCD by integrating wireless ES into a medical cotton cushion.
• Evaluation of electrical properties of MCD using a universal power meter.
• Animal experiments in rats with full-thickness skin defects, comparing MCD to control and Vaseline gauze groups.
• Assessment of wound healing rate, histopathological changes, and expression of inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1β) and growth factors (VEGF, EGF).

Main Results:

• MCD generated a stable electric potential (>0.95 V) and significantly increased wound healing rates compared to controls.
• Histopathology revealed reduced inflammation, enhanced vascular proliferation, and accelerated epithelization in the MCD group.
• MCD treatment led to decreased TNF-α and IL-1β levels and increased VEGF and EGF levels.

Conclusions:

• The MCD provides stable, lasting ES, effectively promoting skin wound healing.
• MCD functions by reducing inflammation duration and upregulating key growth factors.
• MCD shows promise as a novel biomaterial for advanced wound care.