Use of high-frequency electrical stimulation in gastrocutaneous fistula closure: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Gastrocutaneous fistula is a rare complication following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, a commonly performed bariatric surgery. While most ECFs respond to conservative management, some do not close despite adequate nutritional support, infection source control, and drainage management. As such, the chronicity of these difficult-to-treat wounds can be physically and economically costly to patients. CASE REPORT: A 53-year-old female with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass developed a gastrocutaneous fistula secondary to a perforated gastrojejunal ulcer, requiring immediate surgical intervention. After being discharged from the hospital, 37 days of conservative management and NPWT did not reduce the size of the fistula tract. To help control the patient's chronic abdominal pain and increase the rate of wound healing, the patient underwent treatment with HFES (20 kHz) delivered using a handheld transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator. This electrotherapy was found to reduce the majority of the patient's pain within the first treatment session. The patient's fistula also began to decrease in size within 1 week of initiating treatment. CONCLUSION: This case report details the successful closure of a gastrocutaneous fistula after administration of HFES 3 times a week over the course of 25 days. The mechanism of action of HFES and its role in the wound healing process are also discussed.

Decreasing Pain and Increasing the Rate of Chronic Wound Closure With the Use of a Noninvasive Bioelectronic Medical Device: A Case Series.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic wounds are a source of significant morbidity. Medical and scientific efforts are ongoing to further therapeutic modalities improving pain scores and augmenting healing while decreasing complications and reducing the social and economic burden of wounds. Electrical current therapy, or electrical stimulation (ES), has been shown to decrease and modulate both acute and chronic pain; however, understanding of the role of ES in wound closure is limited. OBJECTIVE: This single-center case series reports use of a topical ultrahigh frequency ES (UHF-ES) therapy to decrease wound pain and improve the rate of closure in difficult-to-heal wounds in 9 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Initially, each patient underwent individualized care of their chronic wounds for a minimum of 8 weeks, after which adjunct UHF-ES therapy was provided 3 times per week for an average of 8 additional weeks. Wound size and pain level were documented for the period before and after UHF-ES. RESULTS: Overall, pain improved across the 9 patients. One patient was insensate, and another experienced an increase in pain during treatment. Of the 8 patients with sensation, 7 (88%) experienced a decrease in wound pain, with an average 3.4-point reduction per 10-point visual analog scale. Average pain level was 4.14 before treatment and 0.71 after. The average wound size was 5.70 cm2 ± 5.23 cm2 approximately 8 weeks before the initiation of treatment, 4.34 cm2 ± 4.51 cm2 at the time of treatment, and 1.2 cm2 ± 1.75 cm2 at the conclusion of treatment. The average percentage of wound closure with individualized wound care alone was 23.77%, which increased to 64.58% with the addition of UHF-ES therapy. The weekly percentage of wound closure was statistically significant (P = .0027) between the 2 treatment methods. CONCLUSIONS: While additional research into the use of ES (namely, UHF-ES in wound healing) is warranted, the device reported herein may be an effective, safe, and low-cost adjunct treatment in the care of chronic, difficult-to-heal wounds.