Talc sclerodhesis of persistent Morel-Lavallée lesions (posttraumatic pseudocysts): case report of 4 patients.

Large posttraumatic pseudocysts are infamous for their tendency to recur despite repeated aspiration. The standard practice has been repeated extensive surgical debridement. To avoid the need for such treatment, talc was used to sclerose the lesion in 4 patients treated between 2000 and 2003. The patients were between the ages of 20 and 73 and had thigh and buttock pseudocysts that persisted for an average of 3 months. Talc was administered under fluoroscopic guidance and suction drainage (wall suction followed by a bulb vacuum drainage system) was applied for an average of 12 days. The patients were followed for an average period of 27 months after talc sclerodhesis. All persistent pseudocysts showed an immediate cessation of fluid accumulation in the treated space without reccurence. One case which was complicated by infection, had to be treated twice with talc to cease the accumulation. In this case, the infection recurred, although fluid accumulation did not recur. Talc sclerodhesis proved to be a simple and rapid method of treatment in posttraumatic cases classically treated by repeated and aggressive surgical methods.