Chronic Pilonidal Sinus Disease Research Articles

Pit excision with fibrin glue closure versus lateralizing flap procedures in the management of pilonidal sinus disease in adolescents: a 14-year cohort study.

Pilonidal sinus disease (PSD) arises in the hair follicles of the gluteal cleft with many cases occurring during adolescence. Early studies of pit excision with fibrin glue closure (PEF), a minimally invasive procedure for the management of chronic PSD, suggest it is safe and effective with similar results to traditional lateralizing flap procedures (LFP), without the need for extensive tissue excision and associated complications. However, these studies lack large sample sizes and prolonged follow-up. All children undergoing primary operative procedures for chronic PSD from May 2009 to February 2022 received either a PEF or a LFP. Recurrence and complications rates alongside their demographic and disease severity data were compared using statistical and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Seventy-eight children had 33 primary PEF and 45 primary LFP procedures with a median follow-up of 2.21 and 2.52years, respectively. Demographic and disease severity indicators were similar between groups (p > 0.05).The overall recurrence rate in each cohort was 3% for PEF and 11% for LFP, respectively (p = 0.2346). The all-cause repeat intervention rate was 12% and 49% in the PEF and LFP cohorts, respectively (p = 0.0007). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a reduction in the requirement of re-operation in the PEF cohort (p = 0.0340).Operative time was significantly decreased in the PEF cohort compared to the LFP cohort (p < 0.0001). Wound dehiscence was significantly decreased in the PEF cohort compared to the LFP cohort (3% vs 31%; p = 0.0026). This 14-year study is the largest pediatric-focused cohort utilizing PEF to manage PSD and demonstrated clinically relevant decreases in symptom recurrence alongside significantly decreased rates of complications and further surgical intervention compared to traditional LFP techniques. We conclude that PEF is a viable minimally invasive technique in the management of pediatric PSD.

Outcomes of Laser-Assisted Closure (SiLaC) Surgery for Chronic Pilonidal Sinus Disease.

Background: Management of pilonidal sinus (PNS) disease has changed notably in the past decade, with the introduction of novel surgical techniques and technological innovation. In this study, we summarized our initial experience with sinus laser-assisted closure (SiLaC) of pilonidal disease. Methods: A retrospective analysis of a prospective database of all patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery combined with laser therapy for PNS between September 2018 and December 2020 was performed. Patients' demographics, clinical and perioperative data, as well postoperative outcomes were recorded and analyzed. Results: A total of 92 patients (86 males, 93.4%) underwent SiLaC surgery for pilonidal sinus disease during the study period. Patients' median age was 22 (range 16-62 years), and 60.8% of them previously underwent abscess drainage due to PNS. SiLaC was performed under local anesthesia in 85.7% of cases (78 patients) with a median energy of 1081 J (range 13-5035 J). One patient was lost to follow-up, leaving 91 patients for final analysis. The primary outcome was complete healing rate, standing at 81.3% (74/91 patients). In 8 patients (8.8%), there was minor incomplete healing that did not require reintervention. Recurrent/nonhealing disease was seen in 9 patients (9.9%), requiring reoperation in 7 patients (8.4%). Of those, 4 patients underwent repeat SiLaC and 3 patients underwent wide excision. Analysis of risk factors for PNS recurrence demonstrated that general anesthesia (P = .02) was associated with increased risk for recurrence along with a trend for increased risk in patients with significant hairiness (P = .078). No differences were seen in age (P = .621), gender (P = .475), median sinus length (P = .397), and energy used (P = .904). Conclusion: Primary healing rate after SiLaC surgery for chronic PNS was >80% in our series. Ten percent of patients did not achieve complete healing but did not require surgery due to lack of symptoms.

Can the recurrence rate of open pilonidal sinus surgery be reduced by preventing premature epithelialization

Background and objective: Many surgical options are known to treat chronic pilonidal sinus disease; the procedure that has the least recurrence rate is the open method. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding one step in management, on the recurrence rate of the same procedure. Methods: This is a prospective study, started at 1st Feb. 2018; the last data collection was at 31 Jan. 2020. Thirt-eight patients included in the study, all were suffering from chronic sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease. Sinus excision and lying open the wound to heal by secondary intention is the procedure that is adopted.At time of follow up, frequent separation of wound edges and breaking of any premature bridging of skin at the excision site, were adopted, local anesthesia was needed in 7 patients. Results: The recurrence rate for lying open the wound to heal by secondary intention is significantly reduced from (8-21%) to (2.63%) by adding one step in management during the follow up period, this step involved the frequent separation of wound edges and breaking of any premature bridging of skin even if local anesthesia is needed. Conclusion: Preventing premature bridging of wound skin after surgical excision of pilonidal sinus can significantly reduce the recurrence rate of the procedure

Excision and suture in the midline versus Karydakis flap surgery for pilonidal sinus: randomized clinical trial.

BackgroundThere are several surgical options for the management of pilonidal disease, including midline and off midline closure, but prospective studies are rare. The study hypothesis was that Karydakis flap surgery would result in shorter wound healing and fewer recurrences than excision of pilonidal sinus and suture in the midline.MethodsA randomized clinical trial was conducted in two hospitals in Sweden between 2006 and 2015 to compare excision and suture in the midline with Karydakis flap surgery. Adult patients with a chronic pilonidal sinus disease were randomized 1:1 at the outpatient clinic without blinding. Power calculation based on recurrence of 2 per cent for Karydakis flap and 10 per cent for excision and primary closure in the midline required 400 patients with 90 per cent statistical power at 5 per cent significance assuming 10 per cent loss during follow-up. Participants were followed up until complete wound healing; late follow-up after 6–13 years was performed by telephone by two blinded assessors. The two co-primary outcomes were time to complete wound healing and recurrence rate.ResultsThe study was terminated early at a planned interim analysis due slow recruitment and a significant difference in primary outcome. In total, 125 patients were randomized, of whom 116 were available for the present analysis. Median wound healing time was 49 days (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 32 to 66) for excision with suture in the midline and 14 days (95 per cent c.i. 12 to 20) for Karydakis flap surgery (P < 0.001). There were five recurrences in each group, after a median follow-up of 11 years (P = 0.753).ConclusionKarydakis flap surgery for pilonidal sinus disease led to a shorter wound healing time than excision and suture in the midline but no difference in recurrence rates.Registration number: NCT00412659 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)

Limberg Flap Versus Primary Midline Wound Closure in Treatment of Chronic Pilonidal Sinus Disease

Objective: Current study aims to compare the Limberg flap technique with primary midline wound closure to treat the chronic pilonidal sinus disease. Study design: A comparative study was done in Surgery Department Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Lahore from January 2020 to September 2021 Method: The sample size for the study is 60 patients who were regularly visiting the hospital due to PS disease. All the patients were divided into two groups A and B. Group A had 30 patients treated with the Limberg flap method and group B had 30 patients treated with primary midline wound closure. Before starting the treatment a brief description of the treatment was given to all patients and consent was signed from all participants. The final decision for treatment was decided by the team of senior surgeons as well as with help of the patient's own choice. Limberg flap and primary midline wound closure (PMC) were applied to patients who regularly followed the instruction for chronic pilonidal sinus treatment. Primary midline closure was applied on patients who had a cosmetic concern and did not have a recurrence problem. Results: Total 60 patients were divided into two groups, Group A (Limberg flap) had 30 patients in which 25 (83%) were males and 5 (16.6%) females. The mean age for this group was 25 ± 5.00 years. The patients without a previous history of pilonidal sinus disease (primary case) was 17 (56.6%) and the recurrence case was 13 (14.3%). Group B (primary midline wound closure) had 30 patients in which 18 (60%) were males and 12 (40%) females. The mean age for this group was 28 ± 3.00 years. The patient without a previous history of pilonidal sinus disease (primary case) was 28 (93.3%) and the recurrence case was 2 (6.6%). The comparison of 3rd-week outcomes shows that in group A 25 (83,3%) patients had painless walking, 23 (76.6%) patients start their routine work and 26 (86.6%) patients had treatment satisfaction. In group B 21 (70%) patients reported painless walking, 18 (60%) patients started their routine activity and 22 (73.3%) patients shows satisfaction with treatment. Conclusion: Hence we concluded that a better improvement percentage was measured high in group A (Limberg flap) than group B (PMC). Therefore limberg flap is better technique to treat the chronic pilonidal sinus disease. Keywords: chronic Pilonidal Sinus, primary midline wound closure (PMC), Limberg flap

The comparison of short-term results of marsupialization method in operated patients with acute pilonidal abscess and chronic pilonidal sinus.

This study aimed to compare the short term results of the marsupialization method for the treatment of patients with acute pilonidal abscess and chronic pilonidal sinus disease treated in single step and to investigate the feasibility of final pilonidal sinus treatment in single step in patients with pilonidal abscess. A total of 58 patients who were operated on using the marsupialization method were included in this study. Patients with acute pilonidal abscess were included in Group 1 (23 patients) and those with chronic pilonidal sinus disease were included in Group 2 (35 patients). Pilonidal sinus was excised as a whole by a vertical elliptic incision, with some surrounding intact tissue. After excision, the wound edges were sutured to the postsacral fascia. Daily dressings were performed by relatives at home. The patients were instructed to visit the hospital for follow-up 1-2 times a week. Student's t-test was used to compare the parameters between the groups. The mean wound length was 73.4 and 61.7 mm in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. The mean duration of wound closure was 59.3 and 54.1 days in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of age, operation time, hospital stay, and duration of wound closure; however, wound length was significantly shorter in Group 2 than in Group 1. The definitive treatment of acute pilonidal abscess can be achieved in single step by using marsupialization method as well as in patients with chronic pilonidal disease.

Primary Transverse Closure Compared to Open Wound Treatment for Primary Pilonidal Sinus Disease in Children.

We aimed to compare the outcome of two different operative methods to correct pilonidal sinus disease (PSD) in children, i.e., excision and open wound care (OW) versus excision and primary transverse closure (PC) of the wound. In this retrospective, observational study, we extracted data from the medical records of 56 patients who underwent surgery for PSD at our institution between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2016. To test whether the primary variable, i.e., rate of PSD recurrence, differed between the two surgical groups, a logistic regression model was fitted. Secondary explanatory variables were total length of stay (LOS) at the hospital, complications, sex and age of patients, seniority of the surgeon in charge, and volume of excised specimen. Overall, 32 (57%) children and young adults underwent OW, while 24 (43%) patients were treated by PC. Mean age at operation was 15.5 years in either group. PSD recurred in 12 of 32 (37.5%) children in the OW group and in 3 of 24 (12.5%) children in the PC group (ratio: 0.19, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.03–1.07). Thus, treatment of primary PSD by PC proved superior with respect to PSD recurrence. Moreover, our study did not bring to light any high-grade complications in the PC group, and postoperative pain was minimal. Less invasive treatment approaches for chronic PSD are typically performed in an outpatient setting and offer reduced morbidity, low rates of PSD recurrence, and shortened periods of time to return to work or social activities. More radical operations of PSD should be reserved for recurrent PSD where less invasive approaches have failed several times.

Standardization of Pre- and Postoperative Management Using Laser Epilation and Oxygen-Enriched Oil-Based Gel Dressing in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Pediatric Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment (PEPSiT).

Pediatric endoscopic pilonidal sinus treatment (PEPSiT) has become the new standard of care for pilonidal sinus disease (PSD) in pediatric patients. This study aimed to compare our current wound treatment protocol (laser epilation (LE) and oxygen-enriched oil-based gel dressing) with our previous protocol (silver sulfadiazine spray) and demonstrate its efficacy as means to prevent PSD recurrence in children undergoing PEPSiT. We retrospectively reviewed the data of 87 pediatric patients, 52 boys and 35 girls, with an average age of 17.1 years (range, 12-18) affected by chronic PSD, who underwent PEPSiT over a 24-month period (December 2017-December 2019). The patients were divided into two groups: G1 (n = 47) treated with pre- and postoperative LE and oxygen-enriched oil-based gel dressing; and G2 (n = 40) treated with only postoperative dressing using silver sulfadiazine spray. The two groups were compared regarding the operative outcome, wound-healing time, disease recurrence, wound infections, and other complications. Furthermore, efficacy, safety, and tolerability of LE were assessed in G1. No significant difference emerged between the two groups regarding the median operating time, postoperative pain score, hospital stay length, and time to full daily activities (P = 0.33). The median healing time significantly decreased in G1 (21 days) compared with G2 (28.1 days) (P = 0.001]. The disease recurrence rate was significantly lower in G1 (n = 1, 2.1%) compared with G2 (n = 6, 15%) (P = 0.001), and the wound infection rate was significantly lower in G1 (n = 1, 2.1%) compared with G2 (n = 4, 10%) (P = 0.001). All patients with wound infection were treated with oral antibiotics and, after the resolution of the acute episode, received LE with no further infections (Clavien II). Granuloma of the wound occurred in two G2 patients (5%), who were treated with topical silver nitrate (Clavien II). LE was well-tolerated and without complications in all G1 patients; a median number of 7 LE sessions (range, 4-10) at 4-6 weeks interval was required to achieve definitive hair removal. The results of this study confirmed that our standardized pre- and postoperative wound management, including LE and oxygen-enriched oil-based gel dressing, was extremely safe and effective in reducing PSD recurrence and wound infection rate in pediatric patients undergoing PEPSiT. LE should be routinely offered as adjunctive treatment to all patients who receive PEPSiT and is strongly advocated to be started before surgery and continued after wound healing. More importantly, LE showed to have a role as a preventive modality in patients with recurrent folliculitis or infections at the intergluteal crease. It was also associated with significant improvement and acceleration of wound-healing time. LE and oxygen-enriched oil-based gel dressings were clinically safe and well-tolerated in all patients, with no adverse skin reactions or injuries to both therapies. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Conservative Sinusectomy vs. excision and primary off-midline closure for pilonidal disease: a randomized controlled trial.

Pilonidal sinus disease (PD) is a common acquired disease, responsible for discomfort and time off work. There is currently no consensus on the best surgical therapy. We aimed at comparing conservative sinusectomy (S) to excision and paramedian primary closure (PC). This is a randomized controlled trial compatible with the CONSORT statement standards. We included all patients with chronic PD between 2012 and 2017. We excluded patients with acute abscesses, recurrent PD after surgery with a curative intent and patients needing complex reconstructions with rotation flaps. Patients with chronic symptomatic PD were randomized to S or PC. Primary end-point was the rate of patients healed at 3weeks, secondary outcomes were total healing time, pain, time off work, patient satisfaction and recurrence at 1year. Patients were seen at a wound clinic until healed and contacted at 3, 6, and 12months for follow-up. After inclusion of 58 patients the study was stopped prematurely due to discrepancy between expected and observed outcomes. Only 4/30 (13.3%) patients in the S group had healed completely at 3weeks compared with 14/28 (50%) in the PC group (p = 0.01). Median time to complete healing was 54 (23-328) days in the S group compared to 34 (13-141) in the PC group (p = 0.025). Number of outpatient visits, time off work, analgesia requirement, and recurrence rates at 12months 4 (16%) in the S group and 3 (11.1%) in the PC group (p = 0.548) were similar. PC leads to faster healing compared to S, with similar healthcare burden. The study was approved by the local ethics committee and registered in www.clinicaltrials.gov (REF: NCT03271996). The study was carried out at the Regional Hospital of Lugano, Switzerland.

Technical standardization of MIS management of children with pilonidal sinus disease using pediatric endoscopic pilonidal sinus treatment (PEPSiT) and laser epilation

PurposeThis study aimed to standardize the technique of pediatric endoscopic pilonidal sinus treatment (PEPSiT) associated with laser epilation. MethodsAll pediatric patients presenting with acute or chronic pilonidal sinus disease (PSD) who underwent PEPSiT in our institution over a 36-month period (July 2015–July 2018), were included in the study. Pre- and postoperative management, recurrence rate, postoperative pain, hospital stay, analgesic requirements, and patient satisfaction levels were evaluated. ResultsA total of 59 patients (23 girls and 36 boys) underwent PEPSiT during the study period. Ten/59 patients (16.9%) had recurrent PSD after open repair, and 4/59 (6.7%) presented a concomitant pilonidal cyst. All children underwent laser epilation pre- and postoperatively over the last 15 months. The average length of surgery was 27.5 min (range 20–45). The average pain score during the first 48 postoperative hours was 2.7 (range 2–5), and the average analgesic requirement was 20 h (range 16–24). The average hospitalization was 22.4 h (range 18–36). At 1 month postoperatively, external openings were healed in all patients. During follow-up, 1 recurrence (1.6%) was recorded and successfully re-treated with PEPSiT. ConclusionsWe believe that PEPSiT represents the technique of choice for treatment of PSD in the pediatric population. It is crucial to standardize the technique consisting of pre- and postoperative laser epilation, PEPSiT, and accurate postoperative wound management with eosin and sulfadiazine spray. Level of evidenceTreatment study — Level IV

Evaluating a Surfactant-Containing Polymeric Membrane Foam Wound Dressing with Glycerin in Patients with Chronic Pilonidal Sinus Disease.

To present an evaluation of a surfactant-containing polymeric membrane foam wound dressing for use on patients with chronic pilonidal sinus disease. This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care. After completing this continuing education activity, you should be able to:1. Recall risk factors for and pathophysiology of pilonidal sinus wounds.2. Summarize the evidence-based elements of wound assessment and treatment.3. Identify the study methodology and results. To evaluate the clinical use of a surfactant-containing polymeric wound dressing with glycerin in patients with chronic pilonidal sinus wounds.This case series was conducted in an outpatient dermatology and wound clinic. Sixteen patients aged between 18 and 49 years with chronic nonhealing pilonidal sinus wounds over 4 weeks in duration were recruited.Dressing changes were performed daily because of frequent contamination from bowel evacuation, sweating, or frictional forces in the perianal and intergluteal skin. Patients were seen at follow-up visits to the clinic at weeks 4, 8, and 12 from study initiation.Subjects were predominantly males (81% [n = 13]) with a mean age of 23 years. At study initiation, the mean wound duration was 3.2 months, and mean surface area was 3.3 cm (0.18-19.6 cm). The majority of wounds showed signs of superficial infection (63% [n = 10]) and deep infection (88% [n = 14]). At week 12, 10 wounds (63%) had closed, 1 (6%) had decreased in surface area, 2 (13%) had increased in size, and 3 (19%) of the patients were lost to follow-up. Mean pain score was 3.4 at first visit; most patients reported reduction in pain scores by weeks 4 and 12. Participants reported improved mobility and ability to self-apply dressing. No adverse reactions were observed.Use of a surfactant-containing polymeric membrane foam wound dressing with glycerin may have facilitated wound closure in 10 of 13 patients who completed the 12-week study.

Evaluating a Surfactant-Containing Polymeric Membrane Foam Wound Dressing with Glycerin in Patients with Chronic Pilonidal Sinus Disease.

Evaluating a Surfactant-Containing Polymeric Membrane Foam Wound Dressing with Glycerin in Patients with Chronic Pilonidal Sinus Disease.

Local Phenol Application Versus Excision with Modified Primary Closure Technique in Pilonidal Sinus Disease: A Comparative Study

Background: Different procedures are practiced nowadays for management of pilonidal sinus disease (PSD), ranging from the minimally invasive techniques to the complex flap techniques. Each procedure has its own advantages and drawbacks in terms of patient’s satisfaction, follow up and recurrence rate. Local phenol application into the sinus track was practiced with encouraging results. The limited excision and modification of the primary closed technique has shown both low wound dehiscence and recurrence rates. The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare the local application of phenol 80% in the pilonidal sinus tracks after minimal debridement with the limited excision and modified primary closure technique. Methods: 52 patients suffering from chronic pilonidal sinus disease were divided equally into 2 groups. Patients in group I were managed with local phenol application under local anesthesia. In group II, the patients were operated upon by limited excision of the skin bearing the sinus pits and the underlying granulation tissue with modified primary closure technique using the gluteus maximus fasciae to close the cavity left followed by closure of the subcutaneous tissue and skin with leaving a suction drain inside. Results: The median duration of phenol applications procedure was 20 ± 11 minutes versus 41 ± 13 minutes in the modified primary closure technique. There was a significant difference between both groups as regards the duration of pain killers’ use. By 5 weeks, signs of complete healing were shown in 22 patients (84.5%) of the phenol group, versus 25 patients (96.2%) in the surgery group with no statistic difference between both. The recurrence of PSD in the phenol group was detected in 2 cases (7.7%) while it was one case (3.8%) in the surgery group (p=0.163). Conclusion: both procedures are simple, less surgically demanding, having simple postoperative care, low complication and recurrence rates, early recovery and good patient satisfaction.

Man with a swollen mass on sacrococcygeal region.

A 43-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department with 8 days of a painful swollen mass on sacrococcygeal region. He had no personal or family medical conditions and was receiving cephalexin 500 mg four times a day two days ago. Examination revealed an erythematous, fluctuant, swollen mass on sacrococcygeal region and an orifice at the buttock cleft (A). He was afebrile and nontoxic. Laboratory study results were unremarkable. Incision, drainage, currettage were made, leaving the surgical wound open for secondary healing. The diagnosis of pilonidal cyst with abscess was performed. Pilonidal sinus probably derives from the perineal pilosebaceous unit and precursor pits associated with trapped hairs. The penetrating hairs may cause a foreign-body giant cell reaction, sometimes with secondary bacterial infection, with can cause a sudden onset of pilonidal abscess. It occurs more commonly in individuals with stiff dark or auburn hair. There are four clinical presentation of the disease: symptomatic, acute pilonidal abscess, chronic fistulizing form or complex pilonidal sinus disease. Chronic fistulizant form is the most common clinical presentation. The sacrococcygeal location is the most common site but it can occur on the pubis, anterior perineum and very rarely, the penis. Asymptomatic pits do not require treatment. For acute abscesses, the options available are: aspiration followed by treatment with antibiotics and later curative intent surgery; drainage without curettage; drainage and curettage.

Long-term analysis of surgical treatment outcomes in chronic pilonidal sinus disease

Background/purposeChronic pilonidal sinus disease (PSD) is relatively common in adolescents and can be treated by various surgical techniques. This study aimed to evaluate the outcome in adolescents surgically treated for PSD in a single clinic. MethodsPSD patients surgically treated over an 8-year period were retrospectively evaluated. Classical midline incision and excision with primary repair was performed in all. Regular follow up visits were scheduled. Evaluation of postoperative outpatient clinic records as well as telephone interviews for patients who were operated more than 6months ago were done for the long-term results, including coherence to regional hair care. ResultsThere were 268 patients with a median age of 16years; 146 (54%) were males, and 122 (46%) were females. Outpatient follow up records were available for 249 (92.9%) patients with a median of postoperative 3months (7days–49months). Moreover, 114 (42.5% of total) patients were interviewed by telephone 6–63 (median 25) months after the surgery. In 36 (13.4%) patients, wound infection or dehiscence occurred within the first month of surgery and was treated by secondary healing. Recurrences were observed in 21 (7.8%) patients all having poor local hygiene. Laser epilation was employed in 32 (28%) patients, and none of these had recurrences. ConclusionsClassical midline incision and primary closure approach for surgical treatment of PSD in adolescents has similar results to adults. Postoperative hair removal seems to reduce recurrences. Type of studyTreatment study. Level of evidenceLevel IV (Retrospective case series with no comparison group).

A New Surgical Technique for Closure of Pilonidal Sinus Defects: Triangular Closure Technique.

BackgroundWe present a clinical experience with a new local flap procedure, namely the triangular closure technique, for reconstruction of sacrococcygeal skin defects resulting from excision of the pilonidal sinus.Material/MethodsIn this technique, the defect is surgically converted to a triangle in shape. Then, the triangular defect is closed by transposition of 2 skin flaps designed in an unequal z-plasty manner. Over 6 years, this technique has been used for closure of defects of chronic pilonidal sinus disease in 27 patients (6 females, 21 males). The size of the defect ranged between 3.5 cm and 12 cm in dimension.ResultsA tension-free defect closure was obtained in all patients. All flaps except one healed with no complications. A mean follow-up of 3.62±1.77 months revealed aesthetically and functionally acceptable results with the obliteration of the natal cleft in all patients. No recurrence was observed in the follow-up period.ConclusionsThe triangular closure technique was found to be a useful technique for the treatment of pilonidal sinus with favorable results regarding the time before return to work.

A proposed staging system for chronic symptomatic pilonidal sinus disease and results in patients treated with stage-based approach.

BackgroundAlthough there are many therapeutic options to manage patients with sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease, there remains controversy over a gold standard method for treating such patients. Most studies regarding sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus, collected patients in a single pool, and single modality was performed to all patients so far. Staging according to the progressive nature of disease and comparisons of stage-based treatment approaches are yet to be conducted. This study aimed to define a staging system and to evaluate outcomes with the use of stage-based treatment approach.MethodsThe collected data of patients who underwent surgery for the treatment of pilonidal sinus disease prior to June 2011 were analyzed. Following this analysis, a staging system was defined based on morphological extent of disease (stage I to stage IV for primary disease, and stage R for recurrent disease). Specific surgical technique was used for each stage. Between June 2011 and December 2014, 367 patients were operated based on proposed staging system and treatment algorithm. Demographics, perioperative data, short-term and long-term outcomes were evaluated according to the disease stage.ResultsFor all patients, the median length of hospital stay was 1 (range, 0–4) day. Primary healing without any wound complications was achieved in 320 (87.2 %) patients. The median time to functional recovery was 10 (range, 2–35) days and for wound healing was 12 (range, 10–55) days. Disease recurrence was identified in six (1.6 %) patients within the median follow-up period of 29 (range, 5–47) months. The outcomes of each stage were evaluated separately.ConclusionsWe believe that the proposed staging system and stage-based treatment approach, which need further validation, will have an efficacy in the treatment of chronic pilonidal sinus disease and will contribute to the development of more appropriate individualized management approaches. Moreover, the use of this staging system will likely facilitate sharing and comparing more specific clinical data from future studies.Trial registrationNCT02712970 (ClinicalTrials.gov/09.03.2016)

Results of Modified Dufourmentel Rhomboid Flap in Patients with Extensive Sacrococcygeal Pilonidal Disease

Purpose: The aim of our study was to assess our modified Dufourmentel flap outcomes in a standardized patient group (a symptom duration of equal to or greater than 60 months, presence of equal to or more than 3 sinus ostia or presence of sinus ostia fistulized equal to or greater than 2 cm laterally, and a normal body mass index) with extensive pilonidal sinus.Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with chronic pilonidal sinus disease and gave consent to surgical repair with modified Dufourmentel flap were enrolled. Patients were assessed with respect to age, sex, body mass index, presenting symptom, symptom duration, number of previous operations, number of sinus ostia, length of flap rims, depth of inter-gluteal sulcus, distance of sinus from anus, duration of operation, time of drain removal, length of hospital stay, early postoperative complications, postoperative pain, loss of labor, length of follow-up, and recurrences. Results: A total of 42 patients were enrolled. Average duration of presenting symptoms was 64.4 ± 4.7 months and average length of follow-up was 29.4 ± 3.6 months. Average length of hospital stay was 4.2 ± 0.8 days, and time to return to work was 16.3 ± 2.1 days. Two patients (4.7%) developed postoperative wound infection, one patient (2.4%) developed seroma, and three patients (7.1%) had wound dehiscence. There was no recurrence.Conclusion: Modified Dufourmentel flap application can be safely used in the treatment of extensive pilonidal sinus disease.

S-shaped wide excision with primary closure for extensive chronic pilonidal sinus disease.

Background. The management of complex pilonidal sinus disease (PSD) with multiple pits on and beside the natal cleft is variable, contentious, and problematic. Wide excision of the sinus and reconstruction of the defect using different flap techniques have become more popular in recent years. Case Report. We report a case with a complex chronic PSD to which we applied primary closure after S-shaped wide excision. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and at the end of one-year followup he is now disease-free and comes for routine checkups. Conclusion. The simplicity of the technique and the promising results support the applicability of the S-shaped wide excision in chronic bilaterally extended large PSDs. Further studies entailing large patient populations are needed to reach a definite conclusion.

Direct closure versus local flaps in management of pilonidal sinus

Objectives The aim of this randomized prospective trial was to compare both the results of direct closure and local flaps in management of pilonidal sinus. Background The best surgical technique for sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease is still controversial in terms of minimizing disease recurrence and patient discomfort. The present study analyzes the results of excision with primary closure and excision with flap reconstruction in the surgical treatment of sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease. Materials and methods From February 2012 to February 2013, 30 consecutive patients with chronic pilonidal sinus disease received surgical treatment in the form of either excision and primary closure (group 1, n = 15 patients) or excision and flap reconstruction [group 2, n = 15 patients; classic Limberg flap ( n = 5), modified Limberg flap ( n = 5), and V-Y advancement flap ( n = 5)]. Demographic data, operative time, postoperative pain, hospital stay, duration of incapacity for work, postoperative complications (infection, flap edema, wound dehiscence), patient satisfaction, and postoperative recurrence were recorded. Results The mean follow-up was 12 months. A significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of operative time (min), postoperative complications, and patient satisfaction (P 0.05) for all comparisons. In the modified Limberg flap, no wound infection or recurrence of the disease occurred. Conclusion Flap reconstructions were superior to primary closure after excision of pilonidal sinus, and modified Limberg flap was superior with respect to wound infection and recurrence.