title: Crystallized phenol application and modified Limberg flap procedure in treatment of pilonidal sinus disease: A comparative retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pilonidal sinus treatment includes various surgical and minimally invasive procedures, but there is still no standard treatment. Flap reconstructions and minimally invasive treatment options such as crystallized phenol application have recently been in the center of interest. The aim of this study is to compare crystallized phenol application as a minimally invasive treatment with modified Limberg flap reconstruction from many aspects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven patients diagnosed with pilonidal sinus and treated with modified Limberg flap reconstruction, and 44 patients treated with crystallized phenol application were evaluated retrospectively in terms of age, sex, length of stay in hospital postoperatively, wound complications, and the cause and rate of recurrence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Length of hospital stay was decreased and no postoperative incision problems were found in the group treated with crystallized phenol application (p < 0.001 and p = 0.011, respectively). The difference between the groups in terms of recurrence rate was not statistically significant (p = 0.173). Although the recurrence rate was found to be higher in the patient group treated once with crystallized phenol application, the success rate following multiple applications of crystallized phenol was found to be 94.5%. Higher body mass index (> 24.9 kg/m(2)) and surgical site infection were strongly correlated with recurrence rate (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Crystallized phenol application is a good alternative to the modified Limberg flap procedure and other surgical procedures, because it has several advantages such as being a minimally invasive procedure performed under local anesthesia with higher success rate after multiple applications, decreased length of stay in hospital, and minimal scar tissue formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dumlupinar University, Kutahya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zulfu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bayhan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dumlupinar University, Kutahya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sezgin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zeren
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dumlupinar University, Kutahya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sukru Aydin
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Duzgun
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dumlupinar University, Kutahya, Turkey. Electronic address: bercis.imge@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bercis Imge
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Ucar
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Corlu State Hospital, Tekirdag, Turkey.
authors.forename: Havva Nur
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Alparslan Yumun
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Dumlupinar University Evliya Celebi Research and Education Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mestan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003460:Crystallization; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019800:Phenol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010864:Pilonidal Sinus / Q000628:therapy*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D019800:Phenol
keywords: Crystallized phenol; flap surgery; pilonidal disease; treatment