Essay --

Electrical stimulation (ES) therapy involves the transfer of electrical current across wound tissue through the two electrodes and uses three types of currents: AC, DC and Pulse DC. According to various studies, electrical stimulation therapy has shown to reduce inflammation, edema, improve wound appearance, cause a faster reduction in wound size by helping to kick start the wound healing process and is cost effective for many patients. It has generated a positive impact on patient’s comfort and convenience. Electrical stimulation therapy has provided numerous beneficial effects in wound healing demonstrated by various studies, however; further research trials are needed in order to prove the effectiveness and benefits of electrical stimulation therapy as it relates to wound healing (Cutting, 2006). Background: The clinical application of ES can be dated as far back as 1812 when Hartshorne used electricity to promote bone healing in a patient suffering a tibial nonunion, later described in an 1841 publication (Wienke & Dayton, 2011). Research stayed in focus with bone stimulation via ES therapy for many years leading to the US Food and Drug Administration approved labeling electromagnetic devices for treatment of nonunion and delayed union fractures. ES therapy in chronic wound healing became a major research trend in the mid 1960s with a multitude of successful clinical trials to follow (Isseroff & Dahle, 2012). Eventually ES use in treating chronic soft tissue wounds became widely accepted and in 2002 the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services approved ES treatment in a clinical setting for certain types of chronic wounds and pressure ulcers. Until 2003, research focus stayed with ES therapy on pressure ulcers but later ... ...rocess and is cost effective for many patients. It has also generated a positive impact on patient’s comfort and convenience. Yet still, the selection of an optimal modality remains amongst the scientific and medical communities. Further research and clinical trials to support these positive effects on wound healing may help generate that consensus and help ES therapy gain full support in the US. In reviewing the above studies the evidence of the numerous beneficial effects ES therapy has are clear, however, the evidence that the lack of consensus on standardization of parameters to devise systematic protocols for its use and the lack of uniformity in reports on ES dosages, application modes and waveforms is also clear. Further research trials are needed in order to prove the effectiveness and benefits of electrical stimulation therapy as it relates to wound healing