Korean J Neurotrauma.  2019 Oct;15(2):227-233. 10.13004/kjnt.2019.15.e16.

Morel-Lavallée Lesion in the Sacrococcygeal Area with Associated Coccygeal Fracture

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea. chosunns@chosun.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Plasticsurgery, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
  • 3Department of Neurosurgery, Dong-A Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.

Abstract

A Morel-Lavallée lesion is a posttraumatic, closed internal degloving injury caused by shearing force abruptly separating the skin and superficial fascia from the deep fascia and creating a potential space. Blood, lymphatic fluid, and debris collect and fill the space. The most commonly affected sites are the thigh, knee, hip, and pelvic area, but the lesion can occur anywhere in the body. Among various treatments, surgical procedure is a good option if the lesion is chronic and a thick peripheral capsule has developed. We report an uncommon case of a chronic Morel-Lavallée lesion in the sacrococcygeal area, a rarely reported location, with an associated coccygeal fracture and dislocation.

Keyword

Morel-Lavallée; Coccyx; Fracture

MeSH Terms

Coccyx
Dislocations
Fascia
Hip
Knee
Skin
Subcutaneous Tissue
Thigh

Figure

  • FIGURE 1 Lateral radiograph of the sacrococcygeal area shows fracture and dislocation of the coccyx (red arrow).

  • FIGURE 2 Photograph shows an extensive swelling lesion at the midline of the sacrococcygeal area.

  • FIGURE 3 Magnetic resonance imaging of the lesion. Sagittal T2-weighted (A), sagittal T1-weighted (B), and axial T2-weighted (C) images demonstrate a fluid collection above the deep fascia, with high signal intensity on T2-weighted images and low signal intensity on T1-weighted images in the sacrococcygeal area. There is a hypointense thick peripheral capsule (red arrow) with internal septations (blue arrow).

  • FIGURE 4 Postoperative photograph immediately after removal of the fluctuant mass and closure of wound with a flap. A suction drainage tube is seen in the left gluteal area.


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