Effects of methylene-blue staining on the extent of pilonidal sinus excision.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to examine the effects of methylene-blue staining (MBS) on the volume of specimens after excision of pilonidal sinuses.


METHODS
This was a retrospective analysis of 135 excised specimens after pilonidal sinus (PS) surgery. All patients underwent procedures at the Department of Surgery of University Hospital Jena between 2000 and 2010. All specimens were measured in three dimensions. To calculate the volumes of excised specimens, we used a model of a hemi-ellipsoid. Demographic information (age, height, weight, body mass index, smoking status) were also obtained for all patients.


RESULTS
Excised specimens with MBS had significantly larger volumes (p<0.001) as reflected in length (p=0.001), width (p=0.001), and depth (p=0.017) of the excised specimen compared with specimens that were not stained with methylene blue (MB). In addition, the volume was larger in subjects with a recurrent PS (p=0.021), which was predominantly the case in female subjects (p=0.025).


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that excised specimens with MBS had significantly larger volumes of the excised specimen compared with specimens that were not stained with MB. MBS of a fistula system could enable such a system to be marked sufficiently, thereby facilitating complete resection of a PS.
University of Jena, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany.
M
M
Ardelt
St. Vincent Hospital, Medical Department II with Osteology, Rheumatology and Gastroenterology, Stumpergasse 13, 1060 Vienna, Austria; Specialist for Internal Medicine.
R
R
Kocijan
University of Jena, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany.
Y
Y
Dittmar
University of Jena, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany.
R
R
Fahrner
University of Jena, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany.
F
F
Rauchfuss
University of Jena, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany.
H
H
Scheuerlein
University of Jena, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany.
U
U
Settmacher
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008751:Methylene Blue; D008875:Middle Aged; D010864:Pilonidal Sinus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D008751:Methylene Blue
fistula; methylene-blue staining; pilonidal cyst; pilonidal sinus; pilonidal sinus treatment