Can a Morel‐Lavallée lesion be misdiagnosed as a mass like lesion?

Abstract

The Morel-Lavallée lesion (MLL) is a post-traumatic closed soft tissue degloving injury. Common complaints of MLL patients are a haematoma or fluid collection on the trunk or the lower extremity. However, the authors introduce unique cases of MLL that present an atypical appearance. The fluid collection was not apparent, and the capsule formation was not detected on preoperative image study. The main complaint of patients was the uncomfortable mass-like lesion that was regarded as a simple benign lump. The purpose of this case study is to introduce the atypical cases of MLL and to help other physicians make accurate diagnosis based on trial and error of our cases.

Effective Single-Use Portable Negative Pressure Therapy Used in Acute Morel-Lavallee Lesions: A Case Report

“…Vanhegan et al [3] reported the rate of occurrence of ML through several case reviews as follows: greater trochanter or hip, 30.4%; thigh, 20.1%; pelvis, 18.6%; knee, 15.7%; gluteal region, 6.4%; lumbosacral region, 3.4%; abdominal wall, 1.5 %; calf or lower leg, 1.5%; head, 0.5%; and others, 2.0%. ML lesions are not commonly encountered, and depending on the site of involvement, their diagnosis may be delayed, or they may be misdiagnosed as bursitis, sarcoma, lipoma, or other soft tissue masses [3,4]. Chronic ML lesions form hematomas, which increase the chances of infection; capsule formation makes surgical treatment inevitable [5].…”