Morel-Lavallée Lesion: Causes, Symptoms, and Management introduction The Morel-Lavallee lesion (MLL) is a somewhat uncommon injury encountered in sports medicine practice and delays can occur.
Morel-Lavallée Lesion: Causes, Symptoms, and Management introduction The Morel-Lavallee lesion (MLL) is a somewhat uncommon injury encountered in sports medicine practice and delays can occur. It was first described in 1863 by a French physician and is characterized as a degloving injury, but wasn’t credited with the eponym until 1993. Closed degloving injuries develop as a result of blunt trauma with tangential shear forces that separate the hypodermis from the underlying fascia.
The disrupted vascular and lymphatic supply of the injured tissue then fills the created cystic space with blood, lymph, and necrotic fat. Diagnosis of these injuries can be delayed due to its association with trauma and other more obvious injuries. It remains important for sports medicine and orthopedic providers are aware that a delay may have undesirable effects such as infection, pseudocyst formation and cosmetic deformity.
Case Vignette A 41 year old female presents to your office with a 3 month history of swelling over the right upper arm region. She fell off of a horse about 3 months ago and landed directly on her shoulder. She did have some pain initially along with some ecchymosis.
This seemed to resolve but she now has painless swelling. On examination, the skin is soft, fluctuant and hypermobile over the lateral shoulder, but there is no motion restriction. The skin is intact and the rest of her examination is normal.
You suspect a closed degloving injury. What is the most common location of these lesions? A) Knee B) Shoulder C) Greater trochanter D) Lower leg The etiology of MLLs often occurs during high speed motor vehicle collisions or crush injuries and has been associated with pelvic or acetabular fractures.
If you are experiencing symptoms that may be related to morel-lavallee lesions, it is important to see a sports medicine physician. Early evaluation and treatment typically lead to better outcomes. Do not ignore pain or symptoms that are limiting your activity.
*This article is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.*
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