Pseudocyst formation after abdominoplasty--extravasations of Morel-Lavallée

A soft tissue injury can lead to the formation of a pseudocyst in the subcutaneous adipose tissue, due to a seroma, haematoma or fat necrosis. These cysts were first described in 1853 by the French physician Morel-Lavallée. He observed the phenomenon in the lower limb in women after a tangential trauma with separation of the fatty layers. A similar condition can occur following surgery of the abdomen, when performing liposuction and subcutaneous dissection with a large dead space. In this report we present two cases with large pseudocysts in the abdominal wall, which were seen in long term follow-up after an abdominoplasty performed elsewhere. The pathogenesis, the treatment and the literature are discussed.