Effect on electrode configuration in electrical wound healing

Endogenous electric field is known to play significant part in wound closure and healing of wounds which takes place through its process of protein synthesis and migration of cells to the centre of the wounds due to wound currents. Many clinical studies have showed that electrical stimulation with bio-mimicking exogeneous current through electrodes tends to accelerate wound-healing by promoting electro-taxis of cells under an applied external electrical field (EF). Finite element analysis (FEA) of a circular wound model of diameter 2 cm along with multiple skin layers like stratum corneum, epidermis, dermis, and subcutis layer with defined thickness and properties were modelled using COMSOL Multiphysics®5.3. The endogenous voltage of wounded skin along with its EF distribution is modeled across half the wound bed and shows a higher EF near the wound periphery (x = 10000 µm) which gradually decreases towards its center (x = 0). In the present study simulation was carried out with varying electrode configuration to provide an optimal EF gradient for effective electrotaxis. Potential distribution across 4 micro electrodes arrays (MEAs) (with decreasing applied voltage towards center) along with corresponding EF distribution shows similar gradient as that of endogenous EF unlike through conventional 2 pair of electrodes thereby successfully mimicking the endogenous EF with MEAs would lead to accelerated wound healing.