Microcurrent Electrical
Therapy
Electricity was first used to treat surface wounds more than 300 years
ago when charged gold leaf was found to prevent smallpox scars.1
Experimental animal wound models demonstrated that electrical
intervention results in accelerated healing with skin wounds
resurfacing faster and with stronger scar tissue formation.2,3
Moist wounds resurface up to 40% faster than air-exposed wounds.4
When a wound is dry, its bioelectric current flow is reduced. The
moisture may allow endogenously- produced current to flow more readily
through the injury, and thus promote wound healing. Externally applied
electrical stimulation of the wound may have a similar effect, and
also tends to increase the amount of growth factor receptors, which in
turn increases the amount of collagen formation.5 Joseph M.
Mercola and Daniel L. Kirsch coined the term “microcurrent electrical
therapy” (MET) to define a new form of electromedical intervention
using less than one milliampere of current delivered in biocompatible
waveforms.6
Wounds initially contaminated with Pseudomonas and/or Proteus were
usually sterile after several days of MET. Other investigators have
also noticed similar improvements and encourage the use of this
therapy as the preferred treatment for indolent ulcers.7-9
Additionally, no significant adverse effects resulting from
electrotherapy on wounds have been documented.10 A review
of the literature shows that MET is an effective and safe supplement
to the non-surgical management of recalcitrant leg ulcers.11
In this case report, a 2-year-old mare with a large wound was
successfully healed with MET.
Alpha-Stim prescription medical technology (Electromedical Products
International, Inc; Mineral Wells, TX; www.alpha-stim.com) has been on
the market for 24 years and is approved by the US Food and Drug
Administration for treating pain, anxiety, depression, and insomnia in
humans. It has been used in about 60 research studies. One study
examined the efficacy of Alpha-Stim in the treatment of 8 thoroughbred
horses. In a double-blind study, observers blinded to the treatment |
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condition recorded duration of behaviors of body locomotion, head
motion, ear position, oral behavior, and the state of the lower lip.
There were significant improvements in each of these behaviors in the
treatment group (P < .05), but not in the sham-treated group.12
This is the first documented report using Alpha- Stim MET to heal a
wound in a horse. The patient is a 2-year-old American Quarter Horse
mare that had fallen on top of a T-post, creating a very large wound
to her right rear quarter, damaging the tuber coxae. Bone fragments
were surgically removed, the rough surface filed smooth, flushed, and
the remaining wound sutured as much as possible. The suture line
extended ventrally to the right flank and caudally almost to the
ischium. The anterior portion post-surgically was a large gaping
wound. One month of antibiotics, flushing, and treating topically
ensued with slow progress. The area failed to develop healthy
granulation tissue and the wound became infected.
MET was initiated on March 8, 2004 using the Alpha-Stim PPM. Four AS-Trode
brand silver electrodes were placed around the wound to encompass the
injury site. The small PPM unit was duct-taped on the dorsum of her
rump at the tuber sacralae. At that time, the total length of the
wound was 18 inches cranial to caudal, with the open lesion being 8
inches in length (Figure 1).
The Alpha-Stim PPM is preset at 0.5 Hz. To induce healing, the current
was set at 100 microamperes. The horse was treated 7 days per week, 24
hours per day, for 3 weeks. By choice, the mare did not lie down on
the affected side, so there was no problem with the device attachment.
The device and electrodes were checked daily, changing the 9-volt
battery and AS-Trodes, along with shaving the attachment site as
required.
Figure 2 indicates the placement of the electrodes. Figures 3, and 4,
taken after 10 days of MET, show substantial healing and a clean
wound. Figure 5 was taken after MET treatment was completed on March
30, after a total of 3 weeks of daily treatment. Figure 6, the final
picture, was taken July 1, 2004, when the horse was returned to
training.
Robert O. Becker demonstrated that electrical current is the
trigger that stimulates healing, growth, and regeneration in all
living organisms.13 He found that repair of injury occurs in response
to signals that come from an electrical control system, and suggested
that this system became less efficient with age. |
Microcurrent
Electrical Therapy Heals a Recalcitrant Wound in a Horse.