Objective To investigate whether there is therapeutic angiogenic responses in ischemic myocardium of rabbit injured and chronic infracted heart under the weak steady direct current electrical fields (DCEFs) of 2.0 and 3.0 V/cm.  Methods Forty Chinese rabbits established as myocardial infarction model without endotracheal intubation were randomly divided into 5 groups

  i.e.

myocardial infarction (MI) group

plane electrical fields of 2.0 V (PEF2V) group

the plane electrical fields of 3.0 V (PEF3V) group

transmural electrical fields of 2.0 V (TEF2V) group

and transmural electrical fields of 3.0 V (TEF3V) group. Either plane or transmural DCEFs of 2.0 V or 3.0 V were applied to ischemic myocardium of rabbit models of chronic myocardial infarction. After 4 weeks

histopathological analyses were performed to evaluate the efficacy of the weak steady DCEFs applied on the surface of ischemic myocardium.  Results Significant improvement was found in minimizing infarct area and lowering the extent of fibrosis among the 4 applied DCEFs groups

and the transmural electrical fields were superior to the plane electrical fields. Additionally

more CD31-immunostained vessels were also found in infarcted area

border zone infarcted area

and noninfarcted area in TEF3V group than that in the other groups

but predominant in noninfarcted area.  Conclusion These preliminary results indicate that the eligible weak steady DCEFs applied on the surface of ischemic myocardium induces angiogenesis and possibly collateral circulation in ischemic myocardium

thereby protecting the myocardium.