The potential role of regenerative medicine in the management of traumatic patients

Traumatic injury represents the most common cause of death in ages 1 to 44 years and a significant proportion of patients treated in hospital emergency wards each year. Unfortunately, for patients who survive their injuries, survival is not equal to complete recovery. Many traumatic injuries are difficult to treat with conventional therapy and result in permanent disability. In such situations, regenerative medicine has the potential to play an important role in recovery of function. Regenerative medicine is a field that seeks to maintain or restore function with the development of biological substitutes for diseased or damaged tissues. Several regenerative approaches are currently under investigation, with a few achieving clinical application. For example, engineered skin has gained FDA approval, and more than 20 tissue engineered skin substitutes are now commercially available. Other organ systems with promising animal models and small human series include the central and peripheral nervous systems, the musculoskeletal system, the respiratory and genitourinary tracts, and others. This paper will be a clinically oriented review of the regenerative approaches currently under investigation of special interest to those caring for traumatic patients.