A degloving injury is a type of avulsion in which an extensive section of

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different de ...

is completely torn off the underlying tissue, severing its

blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood in the cir ...

supply. It is named by analogy to the process of removing a glove. 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 Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery includes cranio ...

. Degloving injuries invariably require major surgical interventions. Treatment options include

replantation Replantation or reattachment has been defined by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons as "the surgical reattachment of a body part (such as a finger, hand, or toe) that has been completely cut from the body". Examples would be reattachme ...

revascularization In medical and surgical therapy, revascularization is the restoration of perfusion to a body part or organ that has had ischemia. It is typically accomplished by surgical means. Vascular bypass and angioplasty are the two primary means of rev ...

of the degloved skins, or when these are not possible, skin

grafts Grafting refers to a surgical procedure to move tissue from one site to another on the body, or from another creature, without bringing its own blood supply with it. Instead, a new blood supply grows in after it is placed. A similar techniqu ...

or skin flaps. While the preservation of the extremities and limbs is normally preferred, in some cases amputations may be advised or required. Post-operative physiotherapy is of particular importance for degloving injuries involving the hand.

Other animals

Many small mammals are able to induce degloving of their

tail The tail is the section at the rear end of certain kinds of animals’ bodies; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammal ...

s to escape capture; this is comparable to tail

autotomy Autotomy (from the Greek ''auto-'', "self-" and ''tome'', "severing", αὐτοτομία) or self-amputation, is the behaviour whereby an animal sheds or discards one or more of its own appendages, usually as a self-defense mechanism to elude ...

in reptiles.

References

External links

Report on degloving injuries in children
Injuries Skin {{pathology-stub