One-stage treatment of Morel-Lavallée injury complicated with pelvic fracture by lacunar closure-assisted internal fixation / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of lacunar closure-assisted internal fixation in the one-stage treatment of Morel-Lavallée injury complicated with pelvic fracture.Methods:The 32 patients were retrospectively analyzed who had been treated for Morel-Lavallée injury complicated with pelvic fracture at Department of Orthopedic Trauma, Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University from May 2018 to November 2020. They were 21 males and 11 females, aged from 18 to 58 years (average, 40.5 years). The injury was located at a unilateral hip in 20 cases, at bilateral hips in 6 cases, at low back in 4 cases, and at posterior thigh in 2 cases. The pelvic fractures were treated by open reduction and internal fixation while the Morel-Lavallée injuries by lacunar closure at the same time. Their wound healing, pelvic function and complications were observed regularly.Results:The hospital stay of 32 patients ranged from 14 to 28 days, averaging 19.2 days. The patients were followed up for 6 to 18 months (mean, 9.3 months). The area of Morel-Lavallée injury healed after one lacunar closure in 23 patients who obtained fine skin survival and no soft tissue necrosis or other complications; the wounds in the Morel-Lavallée injury area healed well after secondary lacunae closure in 4 patients. Superficial sensation of the skin decreased around the Morel-Lavallée injury area after wound healing in 3 patients. Wound fat liquefaction was found in the Morel-Lavallée injury area but responded to symptomatic treatment in one patient. A small amount of wound secretion found in the Morel-Lavallée injury area was cured also by symptomatic treatment in another patient whose bacterial culture was negative. All the fractures healed after 3 to 6 months (average, 3.9 months). At the last follow-up, the Majeed scores for the pelvic function ranged from 65 to 100 points, averaging 84.5 points.Conclusion:For Morel-Lavallée injury complicated with pelvic fracture, lacunar closure-assisted internal fixation can result in a satisfactory one-stage treatment.