Minimal Invasive Surgical Treatment of Morel-Lavallee Lesion (MLL)

Morel-Lavallee Lesion (MLL) is a post-traumatic closed degloving soft tissue injury because of shearing or tangential forces. A dead space will be created between the subcutaneous tissue and the underlying fascia. The space will be filled with heamolymphocel and liquefied fat. The patient presents with variable clinical features, ranging from a localized soft tissues fluctuant swelling to abscess formation or skin erythema with necrosis. So, main symptoms are localized pain which increases with movement, malaise and associated nausea and temperature following history of trauma such as motor vehicle accident or a fall. The common anatomical sites for these lesions are the greater trochanter, flank, buttocks and lumbodorsal regions and rarely may occur in the lower limbs as in our case. The MRI is the diagnostic image model of choice and it is vitally important for the radiologists to be aware of the clinical features and the radiological characteristics to be able to establish the diagnosis of MorelLavallee Lesion (MLL) in timely manner for an early appropriate treatment. The treatment approaches as they were reported in the literature involve conservative, open drainage and debridement of devitalized tissues as well as skin grafting when significant skin loss took place because of skin necrosis. Furthermore, it is necessary for these patients to have antimicrobial treatment cover to avoid sepsis and to main wound healing. We report a case of MorelLavallee Lesion (MLL) of the right leg post a fall at home ten months prior to the diagnosis she received treatment with Minimally Invasive Surgical intervention. Small incision was made and drainage of collection with negative pressure drainage system and compression stockings for six weeks. On follow up the outcome was excellent; the limb returned to normal size, the scars were small and hardy visible. So, based on the treatment outcome of our patient we conclude that Minimal Invasive Surgical intervention can be an option to treat a Morel-Lavallee Lesion (MLL).