The Morel-Lavallée lesionLavalleeLavelle

J Emerg Med. 2023 Jan;64(1):67-69. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2022.10.012. Epub 2022 Nov 28.

Abstract

Background: Trauma patients present to the emergency department with various injuries. Few injuries can be easily missed during the evaluation of polytrauma patients. We report one such rare injury in a trauma patient.

Case report: We report the case of a 67-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with an alleged history of trauma. He reported severe pain in the lower abdomen, right hip, and right thigh. An x-ray study did not reveal any bony injury, and an extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma was also negative. Point-of-care ultrasound of his right thigh revealed the presence of a Morel-Lavallée lesion. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Morel-Lavallée lesions are post-traumatic, closed, degloving injuries that go unnoticed in many polytrauma patients. Emergency physicians should be mindful of this lesion because delay in diagnosis can result in significant complications.

Keywords: Morel-Lavallée lesion; closed soft-tissue injury; degloving injury.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Multiple Trauma* / complications
  • Soft Tissue Injuries* / etiology
  • Thigh
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed