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Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

Morel Lavallee Lesion

Dr. Sulabh Kumar Shrestha, MS Orthopedics, May 22, 2025May 22, 2025

Last updated on May 22, 2025

Definition: Post-traumatic closed degloving injury, in which the skin and subcutaneous tissue is detached from the underlying fascia by a shearing force which can disrupt perforating vessels and nerves, creating a potential space that fills with blood, lymph, debris and fat (necrotic and/or viable).

Clinical features:

The diagnosis can be challenging because the overlying skin may appear normal, although dermal changes such as ecchymosis and necrosis can occur.

morel-lavalle lesion
AI Generated Image

Onset:

  • 2/3rd cases: within hours to days after the inciting trauma
  • 1/3rd cases: present months or years after the initial trauma

Symptoms:

  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Stiffness

Signs:

  • Soft fluctuant area of contour deformity, with or without skin discoloration and skin hypermotility
  • Decreased skin sensation if cutaneous nerves are disrupted
  • Skin necrosis (acute or delayed)

Investigation of choice: MRI

  • Acute lesions: Heterogenous signal intensity
  • Chronic lesions:
    • Hypointense on T1-weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images
    • Peripheral hypointense pseudo-capsule on T1 and T2 weighted images

Treatment:

There are no consensus algorithm for management of Morel-Lavalle lesions.

morel-lavallee lesion
Molina, Bianca & Ghazoul, Erika & Janis, Jeffrey. (2021). Practical Review of the Comprehensive Management of Morel-LavallĂ©e Lesions. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open. 9. e3850. 10.1097/gox.0000000000003850. [CC BY 4.0]
dr. sulabh kumar shrestha
Dr. Sulabh Kumar Shrestha, MS Orthopedics

He is the section editor of Orthopedics in Epomedicine. He searches for and share simpler ways to make complicated medical topics simple. He also loves writing poetry, listening and playing music.

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PGMEE, MRCS, USMLE, MBBS, MD/MS General SurgeryMusculoskeletal systemOrthopedics

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Shrestha SK. Morel Lavallee Lesion [Internet]. Epomedicine; 2025 May 22 [cited 2025 Jun 16]. Available from: https://epomedicine.com/medical-students/morel-lavallee-lesion/.

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