A novel approach for treatment of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus: less is more.
BACKGROUND
The surgical management of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus (PS) is still a matter of discussion. Therapy ranges from complete wide excision with or without closure of the wound to excochleation of the sinus with a brush. In this paper, we introduce a novel limited excision technique. The aim of this study was to assess the morbidity and recurrence rate of this technique.


METHODS
Limited excision consisted of a selective extirpation of the sinus after tagging the tract with methylene blue. Ninety-three consecutive patients, who underwent surgery between 2001 and 2004, were analyzed. The patients' survey was performed by mail questionnaire and telephone interview inquiring recurrence, time off work, and time to wound healing.


RESULTS
Seventy-three percent of the patients were treated in an outpatient setting. With a median follow-up of 2 years, the recurrence rate was 5%. The median time off work was 2 weeks. The median wound healing time was 5 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Limited excision for PS can be done in an outpatient setting with a low recurrence rate and short time off work.
Soll
Christopher
C
Department of Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Zuerich, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091 Zuerich, Switzerland.
Hahnloser
Dieter
D
Dindo
Daniel
D
Clavien
Pierre-Alain
PA
Hetzer
Franc
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D010864:Pilonidal Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D012008:Recurrence; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region; D018582:Sick Leave; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing; D055815:Young Adult
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