Laser thermotherapy or excision, what to offer to a patient with pilonidal disease?

Abstract

Objective. To carry out a comparative analysis of the results of epithelial coccygeal course treatment using laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy LIT) under ultrasound control and traditional open excision. The high trauma rate of traditional operations in the epithelial coccygeal course ECC), the duration of hospital stay, pain syndrome force surgeons to search for new technologies in the treatment of this pathology.
 Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis of the treatment results of 369 patients with ECC who were admitted to the clinic for elective surgery in the period from 2009 to 2019 was carried out. There were 264 men 71.5 %) and 105 women 28.5 %). The mean age was 26.9 7.2 years. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 190 patients of the main group underwent surgery using a fiber-optic laser under ultrasound guidance, 179 patients of the comparison group underwent traditional radical excision of ECC with application of primary sutures or various types of plastic.
 Results. The severity of pain syndrome after surgery in patients of the main group was 1.7 0.6 points, in the comparison group 3.5 1.3 points by a five-point visual analogue scale VAS) for pain. The duration of inpatient treatment in the main group was 1.8 0.4 days, in the comparison group 11.5 1.7 days. Moreover, in 197 76.1 %) patients of the main group, the operation was performed on an outpatient basis. The restoration of working capacity in the main group occurred after 5.2 1.2 days, and in the comparison group after 17.4 2.8. After traditional operations, the relapse of the disease was noted in 11.7 %, and after laser treatment, slightly more than 12.1 %. Satisfaction with the results of treatment in the main group was noted in 95.1 %, and in the comparison group in 90 % of patients.
 Conclusions. The obtained results of treatment allow us to recommend the technique of interstitial laser obliteration of the coccygeal cyst under ultrasound navigation developed in the clinic for widespread use in practical work of surgeons.