The Morel-Lavallée Lesion: Diagnosis and Management

The Morel-Lavallée lesion is a closed soft-tissue degloving injury commonly associated with high-energy trauma. The thigh, hip, and pelvic region are the most commonly affected locations. Timely identification and management of a Morel-Lavallée lesion is crucial because distracting injuries in the polytraumatized patient can result in a missed or delayed diagnosis. Bacterial colonization of these closed soft-tissue injuries has resulted in their association with high rates of perioperative infection. Recently, MRI has been used to characterize and classify these lesions. Definitive management is dictated by the size, location, and age of the injury and ranges from percutaneous drainage to open débridement and irrigation. Chronic lesions may lead to the development of pseudocysts and contour deformities of the extremity.