Morel-Lavallée lesion diagnosed 25 years after blunt trauma

Morel-Lavallée lesions are closed degloving injuries in which the skin and subcutaneous tissues separate from the underlying fascia secondary to a shearing force. These injuries are uncommon and can be misdiagnosed in acute settings. If treated incorrectly, they can recur, causing complications requiring multiple surgical interventions. Therefore, it is important to discuss the clinical presentation and imaging characteristics in order to improve their diagnosis and management.

This is the case of a 44-year-old male patient with a Morel-Lavallée lesion of the left thigh that presented 25 years after trauma. He was successfully treated with open surgical excision. The patient underwent multiple surgical interventions before the lesion was accurately diagnosed and treated.

Morel-Lavallée injuries can lead to chronic symptoms, such as pain and swelling, affecting the patient's quality of life. Treatment options include minimally invasive procedures, such as compression bandages or percutaneous drainage. However, if diagnosed late, a fibrotic capsule can form, which may require surgical excision. Our patient was diagnosed more than 20 years after the trauma. Earlier noninvasive treatment options were unsuccessful.

The patient was treated with open surgical excision of the chronic lesion. There was no report of any recurrence up to 10 months after surgery. Such lesion treatments should be guided based on the chronicity of the injury and the patient's symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case with such delayed presentation.