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Review
. 2023 Oct;15(10):2485-2491.
doi: 10.1111/os.13826. Epub 2023 Aug 1.

The Morel-Lavallée Lesion: Review and Update on Diagnosis and Management

Yun Yang  1 , Ting-Ting Tang  2   3
Affiliations
Review

The Morel-Lavallée Lesion: Review and Update on Diagnosis and Management

Yun Yang et al. Orthop Surg. 2023 Oct.

Abstract

Morel-Lavallée lesion is a closed soft tissue degloving injury usually associated with high-velocity trauma. It most commonly occurs in the thigh, hip, and pelvis. Because such lesions are prone to a missed or delayed diagnosis, it may present a potential risk of infection at the fracture site once it progresses. Therefore, timely identification and management of Morel-Lavallée lesion is crucial. Moreover, there are no relevant guidelines for the treatment of Morel-Lavallée lesion. Based on the above facts, we reviewed the etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, imaging features, treatment, prognosis, and complications of Morel-Lavallée lesion with the aim of providing a comprehensive overview of Morel-Lavallée lesion, increasing awareness of this injury among orthopaedic surgeons, and thus providing a management algorithm that can be applied to this injury.

Keywords: Closed Degloving Injury; Diagnosis; Management; Morel-Lavallée Lesion; Shearing Force.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
A flow diagram illustrating the process of including and excluding articles.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Image showing a female patient with a pelvic fracture combined with Morel‐Lavallée lesion with secondary skin necrosis of the gluteal region and right greater trochanter region. (A) Skin necrosis of both gluteal region was observed 3 days after the car accident, with the right side being the most severe. At this time, negative pressure drainage was performed in the left greater trochanteric region. (B) The skin necrosis was further aggravated 5 days after the injury, with clear boundaries.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Intraoperative photograph showing formal open debridement of the Morel‐Lavallée lesion that involved the patient's bilateral gluteal region and right greater trochanteric region.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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