title: Prevalence of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus as a silent disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this research was to determine the prevalence of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease (SPSD) based on clinical examination and histopathological evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1, 2010 and December 30, 2010, 432 corpses were evaluated in the Istanbul Central Office of Forensic Medicine Institute of the Turkish Ministry of Health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  41 of the 432 cases (9.4 %) had SPSD-related findings. 20 (4.6 %) had at least one sinus tract (clinical SPSD) and all of them had at least three positive histopathologic parameters. 16 of 41 cases (3.7 %) were clinically normal but had at least three positive histopathologic parameters (silent SPSD).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of SPSD with clinical examination is 4.6 %. These data are according to the literature. But with inclusion of the silent cases, the prevalence rate increases to 8.3 %. We conclude that inflammatory process does not result in SPSD in nearly half of the cases.
authors.affiliation: Bezmialem Vakif University, Emirhan Cad. No: 3, Besiktas, Istanbul, 80700, Turkey, dr@webcerrah.com.
authors.forename: Erhan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aysan
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ilhan
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bektas
authors.forename: Evrim Akca
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sam
authors.forename: Nur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Buyukpinarbasili
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muslumanoglu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010864:Pilonidal Sinus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region; D012737:Sex Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D055815:Young Adult