Wireless Direct Microampere Current in Wound Healing: Clinical and Immunohistological Data from Two Single Case Reports

Abstract

Chronic pressure ulcers are hard-to-heal wounds that decrease the patient's quality of life. Wireless Micro Current Stimulation (WMCS) is an innovative, non-invasive, similar to electrode-based electrostimulation (ES) technology, that generates and transfers ions that are negatively-charged to the injured tissue, using accessible air gases as a transfer medium. WMCS is capable of generating similar tissue potentials, as electrode-based ES, for injured tissue. Here, through immunohistochemistry, we intended to characterize the induced tissue healing biological mechanisms that occur during WMCS therapy. Two single cases of bedridden due to serious stroke white men with chronic non-healing pressure ulcers have been treated with WMCS technology. WMCS suppresses inflammatory responses by decreasing the aggregation of granulocytes, followed by stimulating myofibroblastic activity and a new formation of collagen fibers, as depicted by immunohistochemistry. As a result, WMCS provides a special adjunct or stand-alone therapy choice for chronic and non-healing injuries, similar to electrode-based ES, but with added (i.e., contactless) benefits towards its establishment as a routine clinical wound healing regime.

Keywords: chronic wounds; direct microcurrent; electrical stimulation; non-invasive; pressure ulcer; wireless technology.

Scheme 1

Schematic representation of the Wireless Micro Current Stimulation (WMCS) device, in a typical “spraying” of generated airborne O₂⁻ onto a wound.

Figure 1

(A) (a–i): Serial photography of the clinical outcome of Patient 1 after WMCS treatment. (B) Presentation of photographic wound closure percentage of Patient 1. Wound healing is expressed as percentage wound area closure relative to original size [(wound area)/(original wound area)].

Figure 2

(A) (a–f): Serial photography of the clinical outcome of Patient 2 after WMCS treatment. (B) Presentation of the photographic wound closure percentage of Patient 2. Wound healing is expressed as percentage wound area closure relative to original size [(wound area)/(original wound area)].

Figure 3

(A–C) Hemotoxylin and Eosin immunohistochemistry of tissue biopsies from Patient 1, demonstrating initial granulation tissue formation and inflammation markers and increased myofibroblastic activity, and (D–F) CD117+ mast cells after WMCS treatment.

Figure 4

(A–C) Masson’s trichrome stain of tissue biopsies from Patient 2. Masson’s stain indicating collagen formation and myofibroblastic proliferation after WMCS treatment.

Figure 5

(A–C) Immunohistochemical analysis of tissue biopsies from Patient 2, showing increased myofibroblastic activity, with a relative focal increase of mast cells (H&E stain 5A and 5B, respectively), and c-kit (CD117) antigen stain showing reduced CD117+ mast cells over WMCS treatment (5C).