What treatment is available to cure pilonidal disease?
The ideal treatment for a pilonidal sinus varies according to the clinical presentation of the disease. Treatment for pilonidal disease can include keeping the area around the crease of the buttocks clean, draining the cyst, and sometimes surgery to
either open or remove the cyst. First, dividing pilonidal disease into 3 categories that represent different stages of the clinical course is important. These three categories are acute pilonidal abscess, chronic pilonidal disease, and complex or recurrent pilonidal disease.
Complex or recurrent disease must be treated surgically. Procedures vary from unroofing the sinuses to excision and possible closure with flaps. If the wound is left open, it will require dressing or packing to keep it clean. Although it may take several weeks to heal, the success rate with open wounds is higher. Closure with flaps is a bigger operation that has a higher chance of infection; however, it may be required in some patients. Your surgeon will discuss these options with you and help you select the appropriate operaton. The surgical management is then tailored to the above classification category. The goals of the ideal procedure for the treatment of this disease should be reliable wound healing with a low risk of recurrence, a short period of hospitalization, minimal inconvenience to the patient, and low morbidity with few wound-management problems. Also, treatment should allow the patient to resume normal daily activities as quickly as possible. |
