A Rare Soft Tissue Injury After Blunt Trauma: Emergency Diagnosis of Morel-Lavallée Lesion With Point-of-Care Ultrasonography

Zeytin A. T.

11th Eurasian Congress on Emergency Medicine, Antalya, Türkiye, 20 - 23 Kasım 2025, ss.289-290, (Özet Bildiri)

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Antalya
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.289-290
  • Bilecik Şeyh Edebali Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

OBJECTIVE: Morel-Lavallée lesion (MLL) is a closed degloving injury characterized by hemolymphatic fluid

collection between the skin and deep fascial layer following severe blunt trauma, most commonly around

the greater trochanter. Although rare, it is a clinically significant soft tissue injury. Due to nonspecific

clinical findings, diagnosis is often delayed, which may lead to complications such as pseudocyst formation,

pressure necrosis, chronic pain, and infection. Imaging modalities such as ultrasonography, computed

tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used for diagnosis. In the emergency

department, point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) has become a valuable tool for rapid and accurate

diagnosis.

CASE-DISCUSSION:A 55-year-old male presented to the emergency department with swelling, bruising,

and pain in the left hip and thigh, 15 days after a blunt trauma caused by compression. On physical

examination, swelling, ecchymosis, and fluctuance extending distally from the greater trochanter were

observed. POCUS performed with a Samsung HM70 EVO ultrasound device and a 3–16 MHz linear probe

revealed a hypoechoic fluid collection with hyperechoic fat globules and intralesional septations between

the subcutaneous tissue and fascial layer, supporting the diagnosis of MLL. The patient was referred

to Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery for further evaluation, and Computerized tomography

demonstrated a fluid collection on the lateral thigh adjacent to the muscle surface (Figure 1). The lesion

was treated with aspiration and compression, and the patient’s symptoms improved before discharge

with outpatient follow-up.

CONCLUSION: Morel-Lavallée lesion is a post-traumatic soft tissue lesion with frequently delayed

diagnosis. POCUS accelerates the diagnostic process in the emergency setting and allows timely initiation

of appropriate treatment. In addition to diagnosis, POCUS is also valuable in assessing lesion size, fluid

content, and monitoring treatment response.

Keywords: Morel-Lavallée lesion, point-of-care ultrasonography, emergency medicine, blunt trauma