The Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges of Degloving Soft-Tissue Injuries

Degloving soft-tissue injuries are a form of avulsion of soft tissue, in which an extensive portion of skin and subcutaneous tissue detaches from the underlying fascia and muscles. Such injuries can affect every part of the body, but in particular the limbs (both upper and lower), trunk, face, and genitalia (Wójcicki, P., Wojtkiewicz, W. and Drozdowski, P., (2011)); [1,2,3] and can be associated with severe concomitant injuries and massive blood losses. Prompt recognition of degloving soft-tissue injuries is essential, yet treatment is time-consuming and often delayed. Thus, the injuries frequently progress to infection or even to necrotizing fasciitis. The severity of complications depends on the mechanism, the concomitant injuries, and the anatomic side affected and whether the degloving injuries are open or closed.