Question
About half a month ago, the patient suffered a fall. After the facial bruising subsided, a small lump appeared under the cheek, with no obvious abnormalities in appearance but painful upon pressure. How should this type of subcutaneous hematoma be handled?
Answer
Subcutaneous hematoma is usually caused by external force leading to the rupture of capillaries under the skin, causing bleeding. The blood seeps out from the broken capillaries into the subcutaneous tissue, forming a bruise. For such cases, it is recommended to perform incision drainage to expel the accumulated blood clot and apply compression bandaging. Early treatment can prevent the hematoma from evolving into a structure similar to a bursa, thereby reducing the complexity of subsequent treatment. The specific treatment plan should be determined based on the size and severity of the lump.