title: Modification of the Bascom cleft lift procedure for chronic pilonidal sinus: results in 141 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is no definitive consensus on the best treatment for pilonidal sinus. The Bascom cleft lift technique has been reported to produce successful results. This study presents the results of a modified cleft lift procedure in which the sinus tissue was excised and the lower end of the incision was kept outside the intergluteal sulcus by extending the lower end of the incision laterally.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between August 2010 and January 2012, 141 consecutive patients who presented with primary or recurrent pilonidal sinus disease were included in the study, which was conducted at a single tertiary academic medical centre. Prospectively collected data were recorded, including complications, pain score, satisfaction level, primary healing rate, length of hospital stay and early recurrence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean operating time was 30 min and the mean length of hospital stay was 1.2 days. The most common surgical-site complication was a collection followed by partial wound dehiscence and superficial infection. The primary healing rate was 88%, the mean time for functional recovery was 13 days and the mean follow-up time was 14 months. No recurrence was observed within this follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The modified Bascom cleft lift technique is effective and reliable. It is applicable to all pilonidal sinus cases and has low complication rates, high satisfaction scores, rapid early recovery and low recurrence rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Trabzon Kanuni Training and Research Hospital, Trabzon, Turkey. draliguner@yahoo.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guner
authors.forename: O F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kece
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kesici
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kucuktulu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D010864:Pilonidal Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000453:epidemiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D013536:Suture Techniques; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bascom technique; Pilonidal sinus; cleft lift; pilonidal disease; surgery