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Minimal tissue excision in the treatment of pilonidal sinus disease: results from a single surgical unit
Author(s) -
Rogers Peter,
Platell Cameron,
Levitt Michael
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
anz journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.426
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 1445-1433
DOI - 10.1111/ans.15677
Subject(s) - medicine , surgery , curettage , pilonidal disease , sinus (botany) , retrospective cohort study , wound healing , botany , biology , genus
Background Pilonidal sinus disease is a common surgical disorder for which a clearly superior corrective operation remains elusive. Recurrence after surgery requiring re‐operation is a frequent outcome. This retrospective study examines healing rates, recurrence rates and time to healing of a minimalist approach – employing deroofing of tracks, curettage and minimal skin excision – at one centre over the last decade. Methods The results of all minimal excision pilonidal sinus operations performed from 2005 to 2018 by two surgeons at one centre have been analysed retrospectively. Ethics approval for this study was granted by the St John of God Health Care Human Research Ethics Committee on 11 June 2018. Results A total of 84 patients were included in this study with 19 females and 65 males. The median age at operation was 22 years. Of the 84 total patients, 78 achieved primary healing (93%) with an average healing time of 55 days. Of those that healed, seven recurred with an average time to recurrence of 812 days. Conclusion In our study, minimal excision management of pilonidal sinus disease achieved primary healing in 93% with an average healing time of 55 days and a recurrence rate of 8%. These outcomes are similar, but not significantly inferior, to those reported for other surgical modalities of management. Given this, we suggest less invasive management may be a preferable first surgical option given smaller surgical intervention for similar outcomes.