Morel-Lavallée lesion: What you need to know

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

9-4-2025

Journal

The journal of trauma and acute care surgery

DOI

10.1097/TA.0000000000004789

Keywords

Morel-Lavallée lesion; degloving injury; nonpenetrating wounds; soft tissue injuries

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The Morel-Lavallée lesion (MLL) is a rare closed degloving injury resulting from traumatic shearing forces that separate subcutaneous tissue from underlying fascia, creating a cavity filled with blood, lymph, and inflammatory exudate. Typically occurring in regions where skin can glide significantly over rigid structures, such as the thigh, MLLs present as fluctuant, boggy, sometimes painful lesions, which result from disrupted lymphatic and vascular structures. The lesion evolves through an inflammatory cascade leading to eventual encapsulation by dense fibrotic tissue. While the diagnosis is primarily clinical, imaging, particularly magnetic resonance imaging, assists in confirming lesion presence, assessing chronicity, and differentiating MLLs from other pathologies such as bursitis, hematomas, and sarcomas. Treatment strategies range from conservative approaches, including compression and aspiration for smaller lesions, progressing to minimally invasive procedures, such as percutaneous drainage and sclerotherapy, to operative intervention involving open drainage and debridement for larger, recurrent, or infected collections. Future advancements in standardized treatment guidelines, novel imaging modalities, and multidisciplinary rehabilitation are crucial for improving early recognition, therapeutic outcomes, and minimizing morbidity associated with MLLs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic review; Level I.

Department

Surgery

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