title: Phenol Injection Versus Excision With Open Healing in Pilonidal Disease: A Prospective Randomized Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Minimally invasive procedures may be an alternative to surgical excisions for pilonidal disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to compare phenol injection versus excision with open healing technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective randomized study (ACTRN12612000868886).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted at the Ankara University and Ufuk University Departments of Surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred forty patients were randomly assigned to phenol injection (n = 70) or excision with open healing (n = 70).
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary end point of the study was the time to complete wound healing. Secondary end points were visual analog scale pain score, painkiller intake, time to resume daily activities, recurrence rate, Short Form 36 Health Survey, and Nottingham Health Profile at 3 weeks after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Time to complete wound healing (16.2 ± 8.7 versus 40.1 ± 9.7 days) was significantly in favor of the phenol injection group (p < 0.001). The median operation time was 14.0 ± 3.8 minutes in the phenol group versus 49.0 ± 24.2 minutes in the excision with open healing group (p <  0.001). The time to resume daily activities (pain-free mobilization and defecation) was 0.8 ± 2.8 and 16.2 ± 12.6 hours after phenol injection and 9.3 ± 10.0 and 22.5 ± 15.1 hours after the excision with open healing treatment (p <  0.001, p = 0.008). Visual analog pain score at 48 hours and painkiller intake within 48 hours were significantly in favor of the phenol injection group. At the mean follow-up of 39.2 ± 9.0 months after surgery, no differences were seen in the recurrence rate between the treatment arms (13 recurrences in phenol vs 9 in excision with open healing; p = not significant). Short Form 36 and Nottingham Health Profile scores at 3 weeks after surgery were also in favor of phenol injection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study was not double blinded, and a history of abscess drainage was significantly higher in the surgery group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the results, we conclude that phenol injection is as effective as the excision with open healing technique.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Surgery, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey 2 Department of Surgery, Ufuk University, Ankara, Turkey 3 Department of Biostatistics, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey 4 Department of Surgery, Konya Training and Research Hospital, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Calikoglu
authors.forename: Kamil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gulpinar
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oztuna
authors.forename: Atilla Halil
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Elhan
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dogru
authors.forename: Cihangir
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akyol
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erkek
authors.forename: Mehmet Ayhan
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kuzu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D019800:Phenol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010864:Pilonidal Sinus / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012597:Sclerosing Solutions; D019800:Phenol