A degloving injury is a type of
avulsion in which an extensive section of
skin is completely torn off the underlying tissue, severing its
blood supply.
It is named by analogy to the process of removing a
glove
A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves usually have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb.
If there is an opening but no (or a short) covering sheath for each finger they are called fingerless gloves. Fingerless glov ...
.
The causes of degloving can vary,
but they often occur when someone's hand or arm gets stuck in a machine or when they're involved in a car accident. Treatment for degloving injuries can vary depending on the severity of the injury, but often includes surgery and skin grafts.
All sorts of things can lead to this type of injury. Car accidents, falls, or getting caught in machinery are all common causes. But there are also less obvious things that can cause degloving injuries, like contact with chemicals or extreme weather conditions.
Effects
Typically, degloving injuries affect the extremities and
limbs; in these cases, they are frequently associated with underlying fractures.
Any injury which would induce degloving of the head or torso is likely to be lethal. However, controlled facial degloving is often featured in
plastic surgery.
Degloving injuries invariably require major surgical interventions. Treatment options include
replantation or
revascularization of the degloved skins, or when these are not possible, skin
grafts or skin
flaps. While the preservation of the extremities and limbs is normally preferred, in some cases
amputation
Amputation is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on indi ...
s may be advised or required. Post-operative
physiotherapy
Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, patient ...
is of particular importance for degloving injuries involving the hand.
Other animals
Many small mammals are able to induce degloving of their
tails to escape capture;
this is comparable to tail
autotomy in reptiles.
References
External links
Report on degloving injuries in children
Injuries
Skin
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