What injuries are soldiers experiencing in combat?
In both Iraq and Afghanistan, the biggest challenge has been the improvised explosive device, or IED. Protected by armored personnel vehicles and body armor, about 94 percent of people exposed to IED explosions survive. This remarkable accomplishment creates new demands in medical care. Many soldiers are now surviving with more severe injuries to the extremities and the face. How can regenerative medicine help? The Army has asked us to develop ways to limit burn injuries and speed transplantation of skin for burn victims. Also, we’ll be developing ways to regenerate bones, nerves and blood vessels to all limbs for faster and more complete recovery. For those soldiers who have lost limbs or large areas of facial tissue, we are working to make limb and facial tissue transplantation a safe and effective option. You sound very confident about something that sounds near-impossible. Are there obstacles? Just as we transplant hearts and other organs, we have always recognized the possibility
