Complex Traumatic Facial Degloving Injury

Abstract

By definition, degloving is detachment of skin and subcutaneous tissue, most often affecting the limbs and extremities and occasionally the scalp. Degloving generally occurs from high-energy trauma. This paper describes a patient of traumatic facial degloving injury. This is an extremely rare condition, as the patient survived despite the risk of imminent death. This patient report addresses the decisions made regarding the emergency management, prevention of necrosis and infection by surgical debridement, and timely repair of the vital soft tissue structures that guided the management.

Complex facial degloving injury: a case report of a complication and its management

“…Facial degloving injuries are rare, and there are no preestablished protocols for treatment 3 . Delayed treatment of these injuries can lead to infection and necrotizing fasciitis of the avulsed flap 4 .…”