Giant Post-traumatic Cyst after Motorcycle Injury: A Case Report with Review of the Pathogenesis

Post-traumatic cysts of soft tissue usually occur at the junction of the subcutaneous fat and deep fascia, most often filled with serosanguinous fluid and lined with fibrous tissue. It appears as complication after severe injuries when crushing and shearing forces cause separation of the skin and subcutaneous fat from the deep fascia and muscle, creating a cavity filled with hematoma and liquefied fat. This rare condition calls Morel-Lavallee lesion, which was first described by this French physician in 1853 (Sterling et al., 1977; Tull and Borrelli, 2003). Magnetic resonance imaging is the modality of choice for detection and revealing the exact size and location of these lesions. The best method of treatment is surgical excision with complete resection.