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Updated: Jul 27, 2026
Severe Burn Injury in a Swine Model for Clinical Dressing Assessment
Published on: November 6, 2018
Direct current reduces plasma protein extravasation after partial-thickness burn injury in rats
N P Matylevich1, C S Chu, A T McManus
1US Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234-6315, USA.
Objective:
To observe the effect of 40 microA direct current (DC) on plasma albumin extravasation after burn injury.
Design, Materials, And Methods:
Silver-nylon wound dressings were used as anodes (-) on anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats with 20% total body surface partial-thickness scald burns. Burned rats with no treatment, or treated with silver-nylon dressing without current, were used as controls. Quantitative analysis of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-albumin leakage and accumulation in the wound tissue was performed using confocal fluorescence microscopy.
Measurements And Main Results:
In controls, the rate of albumin leakage was maximal at 1 hour postburn (PB) and then decreased, but remained higher than normal for 48 hours PB. The accumulation of FITC-albumin was maximal 4 to 6 hours PB and substantial for 48 hours. When DC was applied, leakage was reduced by 30 to 45% and approached normal control rates by 8 hours PB. FITC-albumin concentration peaked 4 hours PB, was 18 to 48% less then in burned control, and approached the level observed in unburned control by 18 hours PB.
Conclusions:
DC has a beneficial effect in reducing plasma protein extravasation after burn injury.
