This 2011 narrative review by Grogan and Hsu defines volumetric muscle loss (VML) — the traumatic or surgical loss of skeletal muscle causing functional impairment — and surveys the state of its evaluation and treatment, drawing primarily from combat casualty experience at a military trauma center.
When evaluating a patient with traumatic or post-surgical muscle deficit, classify the loss by compartment involvement (partial vs. total) and level (above vs. below knee) — this drives realistic counseling: total above-knee compartment loss has no current reconstructive or bracing solution.
Document with the full protocol (photos, video, ROM, manual muscle testing, isokinetic testing) because standardized serial assessment is the only way to track progression and justify intervention.
This 2011 narrative review by Grogan and Hsu defines volumetric muscle loss (VML) — the traumatic or surgical loss of skeletal muscle causing functional impairment — and surveys the state of its evaluation and treatment, drawing primarily from combat casualty experience at a military trauma center.
When evaluating a patient with traumatic or post-surgical muscle deficit, classify the loss by compartment involvement (partial vs. total) and level (above vs. below knee) — this drives realistic counseling: total above-knee compartment loss has no current reconstructive or bracing solution.
Document with the full protocol (photos, video, ROM, manual muscle testing, isokinetic testing) because standardized serial assessment is the only way to track progression and justify intervention.