What lies beneath: A case report of Morel-Lavallée lesion

Abstract

A Morel-Lavallée lesion is a rare internal degloving injury that patients present with to the Emergency Department (ED) typically following high impact trauma. The diagnosis is often missed due to its uncommon presentation and emphasis on other concomitant injuries that may have occurred as a result of polytrauma. Potential long-term complications from these closed soft-tissue injuries highlight the need for early recognition. We present one such case encountered in our ED and aim to familiarize readers with the presentation, diagnostic and treatment modalities, and challenges emergency physicians might face when encountering patients with such lesions.