Contralateral Limberg flap reconstruction for pilonidal disease recurrence

Abstract

To identify surgical techniques applied in case of recurrence in patients with pilonidal sinus, who have undergone primary treatment with Limberg flap, and to present our cases treated with Limberg flap reconstruction prepared from the contralateral gluteal region. Nine patients with recurrence out of 219 patients who underwent Limberg flap reconstruction between 2009 and 2016 at our clinics, and 6 patients who have been referred to our clinics with total 15 recurrence after primary Limberg flap reconstruction at other institutes were included in the study. Total excision and primary repair was applied in 3 patients while 2 patients underwent excision with lay open procedures. The remaining 10 patients underwent rhomboid excision of the recurrence area and Limberg flap repair from the contralateral gluteal area. All patients who underwent primary repair or excision-lay open procedures recurred again. These two patients also underwent contralateral Limberg flap reconstruction as their second revision surgery. There were no complications or recurrences in the study group. We believe that reconstruction with contralateral Limberg flap is an effective and feasible method in recurrent pilonidal sinus cases who have been initially treated surgically by the Limberg flap.