Application of Extracellular Matrix to Repair the Tissue Injuries and Damages Induced by Combat: A Review Study

Using the extracellular matrix (ECM) and biological scaffolds have created a new field in repairing non-healing tissue injuries due to the promising results. These materials provide a suitable milieu for the cells' survival, proliferation, and differentiation due to their biocompatibility and growth stimulating factors, and accelerate tissue repair. The present study investigated the importance of ECM in the healing and regeneration of tissue damages, especially in combat.

In order to obtain the data, the keywords of ECM, war injuries, tissue injuries (such as skin, muscle, brain-spinal, pulmonary, visceral, kidney, and bone), and tissue repair were used. Using these words, the articles were searched in the reliable databases of Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, IranDoc, and Google Scholar during the period 2002-2022. Finally, the most important findings were reported as a narrative review article.

According to the results of the reviewed studies, it can be said that the use of ECM obtained from different tissues in the form of prepared powders, hydrogels and bio-scaffolds is able to heal the damages and injuries of different tissues such as nervous (brain and spinal cord), visceral (liver and kidney), bone, skin, muscle, and lung, which have been damaged due to various reasons, especially in combat.

Using the valuable therapeutic potential of ECM, as a suitable and available method for repairing tissue injuries and damages, can greatly improve the non-healing tissue injuries and wounds, especially in combat, and lead to proper and even normal tissue function.