All-Polymer and Adhesive Electrodes as Electroceuticals for Chronic Wound Healing

Abstract

Chronic wounds are complicated by diabetes, surgical complications, and vascular dysfunction, which delay healing and impair cellular repair. Conventional therapies are costly and may injure surrounding tissue. Electroceutical stimulation promotes cell migration and proliferation, yet existing systems show weak adhesion and low efficiency and restrict patient movement. We present a wearable electroceutical system using polymer electrodes to address these limitations. Relative to metals, the polymers provide higher charge injection and storage and strong adhesion for stable stimulation. We characterized electrode behavior under pulsed currents that mimic endogenous fields and simulated the relationship between electrode dimensions and wound size. Electrochemical impedance and chronoamperometry quantified charge transfer under clinically relevant waveforms. To enable mobility, we built a portable module that delivers controlled pulses. Cell-based assays and an animal wound model confirmed biocompatibility and improved closure rates, demonstrating accelerated healing without invasive procedures.