Clinical translation of tissue-engineered constructs for severe leg injuries

An important component of critical traumatic injuries is severe limb damage. Bone repair, vascular supply integrity and wounds closure are immediate concerns but the prognosis for long-term functional recovery is largely conditioned by inadequate soft tissue regeneration, and in particular skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscles account for more than 40% of the body’s mass and are central element of limbs. Among muscle damage, those accompanied by significant loss of tissue volume lead to important functional problems. Loss of muscle tissue can occur at the time of injury itself or be the result of diseases or surgical debridement of necrotic or damaged areas. Extensive muscle tissue destruction leads to a painful and disabling condition termed volumetric muscle loss (VML) that impairs normal muscular functions. Though muscles can often recover functionality through exercise-induced hyperplasia and satellite (stem) cells activation, regeneration does not occur in VML because the damage is too extensive.