Case Reports
An uncommon cause of Thigh swelling: Morel-Lavallée Lesion managedwith percutaneous drainage and Doxycycline Sclerodesis: A Case Report
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Keywords:
- Morel-Lavallee lesion
- necrosed tissue debris
- sclerosant infiltration
- percutaneous drainage
Abstract
Introduction: The Morel-Lavallée lesion (MLL) is a closed degloving injury in which shearing trauma separates the skin and subcutaneous tissue from the underlying fascia. The resulting potential space fills with blood, lymph and necrotic debris. Because the lesion is uncommon and often overshadowed by other injuries, diagnosis is frequently delayed, which can lead to infection of the collection or necrosis of the overlying skin.
Case presentation: A 58-year-old woman presented with a painful swelling and a wound over the right thigh 6 weeks after a fall from an overturning auto-rickshaw. Examination revealed an 18 × 7 cm cystic, fluctuant, transilluminant swelling on the anterolateral thigh with an overlying 3 × 3 cm scabbed laceration. Ultrasonography and computed tomography showed a fluid collection between the subcutaneous tissue and the deep fascia, consistent with an MLL. She was treated with percutaneous aspiration, local debridement of the laceration, doxycycline sclerodesis and compression bandaging. Ultrasonography on the third day after the procedure showed near-complete resolution of the collection.
Discussion: Treatment of MLL can be conservative, percutaneous or surgical, and the choice depends on the chronicity, size and contents of the lesion, the state of the overlying skin and any associated injuries.
Conclusion: MLL is an uncommon but clinically significant injury. A high index of suspicion, timely imaging and a treatment plan tailored to the individual lesion help prevent complications and recurrence.
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References
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Copyright (c) 2026 Priya Thathachariar, Ganesh Chaudhari, Nilesh Patil, Pankaj Bajpeyi
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