Journal of orthopaedics
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Journal of orthopaedics · Dec 2018
ReviewThe Morel-Lavallée lesion and its management: A review of the literature.
Morel-Lavallée lesions can occur in polytrauma patients. Post-operative seroma is more frequently encountered, holds many pathological similarities with MLLs and continues to challenge plastic surgeons. We aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of MLLs to increase awareness of optimum treatment options amongst plastic surgery teams, and to provide a management algorithm that may also be applied to post-operative seromas. ⋯ Our algorithm recommends avoidance of conservative management. For chronic lesions, percutaneous aspiration should not be used in isolation. Sclerodesis using doxycycline is appropriate for lesions up to 400 ml, where evidence suggests high degrees of efficacy. Larger lesions should be treated with open surgery. Quilting sutures, curettage and low suction drains are useful adjuncts. We hypothesise this algorithm would also be effective for post-operative seromas.