The use of a portable, wearable form of pulsed radio frequency electromagnetic energy device for the healing of recalcitrant ulcers: a case report

Abstract

Pulsed radio frequency energy (PRFE) has successfully been used to treat diabetic and venous stasis ulcers. In this case report, a lightweight wearable form of a PFRE device was evaluated and used to treat three diabetic foot ulcers and one venous stasis ulcer. The ulcers were present on the four patients for more than 3 months and had failed to heal after conventional treatment. A lightweight battery-powered, wearable form of PRFE device was introduced as a treatment and used 6–8 hours per day for a period of 6 weeks. All patients after 1 week of therapy showed improvement and wound size was seen to decrease. Patient 1 had a venous stasis ulcer, and reported significant pain relief after 2 weeks treatment. Patients 2 and 3 achieved complete healing after 3 weeks treatment, and patients 1 and 4 had a 95% and 88% reduction in wound size, respectively, after the 6-week study period. Both these patients continued to complete healing using the PRFE device after the 6-week study period. PRFE treatment delivered in the form of a wearable lightweight patch appears to offer promise in the treatment of recalcitrant chronic wounds.