What is Pilonidal Sinus?
Pilonidal Sinus
Pilonidal sinus is a small hole that is seen on the skin, it is found on the top of the cleft of the buttocks. Pilonidal Sinus is not a disease that will always cause problems for the patient. It only needs to be treated if it gets infected. Most people aren’t aware of its existence unless it starts exhibiting symptoms. The majority of the people who suffer from pilonidal sinus are people who sit a lot, mainly cab drivers. This tunnel might accumulate contents like fluids, hair, etc, and form an abscess. In most cases, it is caused by skin infections. It is a condition that is very common and more than 70000 people get affected by this, worldwide in a year.
Pilonidal sinus is a disease that causes a tunnel to develop on the upper part of the buttocks where they divide. This tunnel often tends to accumulate dirt, fluids, hair, etc. it happens because of the ingrown hairs that are found in the lower part of the spine. The chances of pilonidal sinus are high in people who have excess hair growth on their bodies. That is to say, pilonidal sinus is a disease that is caused by loose hair that pokes into the skin. The hair follicles present in the skin hold each hair on the body in place. When there is pressure and friction exerted on the hair follicles, it might cause them to shift places. This eventually causes the hair to grow inside the skin rather than outside. If infected, the pilonidal sinus can cause excruciating pain and even ooze a foul-smelling fluid. A pilonidal cyst can either occur once or can recur chronically. However, pilonidal sinus is a very treatable disease and there are numerous ways that are available to completely get rid of pilonidal sinus.
- PROCEDURE NAME : Pilonidal sinus
- SURGERY TYPE: 1
- HOSPITALIZATION: 1
- SURGERY DURATION: 1
- ANAESTHESIA: 1
- FULL RECOVERY: 1
TREATMENTS
Diagnosis
Pilonidal sinus can be easy to diagnose. The medical practitioner will start with a full body examination, where they closely observe the upper area of the patient’s buttocks. In the majority of cases of pilonidal sinus, it is visible to the naked eye. The cyst will look like a pimple on the surface of the skin, in some cases, the pimple might be oozing pus or a foul-smelling fluid. The medical professional will enquire about the previous medical history and the condition of the cyst. In very rare cases, the doctor might take an MRI or CT scan to look for any sinus cavities that might have formed under your skin.
Surgery
When the pilonidal sinus is first diagnosed and doesn’t exhibit major symptoms, then the doctor will prescribe antibiotics for it. If there are no signs of inflammation, then the antibiotics would be enough to clear up the infections and give the patient relief from whatever discomfort and pain they were going through because of the pilonidal sinus. However, antibiotics will not eliminate the tracts. Then the doctor will suggest keeping that area clean, follow-up examinations and regular hair removal, etc. If the pilonidal sinus is more severe, then surgery might be required. One of the surgeries is called “Lancing”. The surgery will be done under local anesthesia. The doctor opens up the cyst with the help of a scalpel and clears out the contents inside. The medical professional dresses the wound and allows it to heal. There are “wide excision and open healing” where the doctors completely cut off the sinus tract entirely. This procedure has the lowest possibility of pilonidal sinus recurring. However, the downside of this treatment is that it is inconvenient because the wound takes a long time to heal and it requires a lot of aftercare. The FLAP method is also a good alternative treatment for pilonidal sinus. In this procedure, the surgeon removes the sinus and uses a flap of skin to close the wound. Even though this is an effective method the chances of infections are very high. Oreol laser treatment is one of the best, if not the best solution for pilonidal sinus. The procedure is swift and effective. After a thorough examination, the patient is given anesthesia. After that, a small incision is made on the area of the pilonidal sinus. The medical professional cleans out all the contents that have been accumulated in the cyst and then the laser rays are utilized to shrink the cyst and it is burned off. Oreol laser treatment is one of the best alternatives to treat pilonidal sinus. It doesn’t require intense aftercare. However, it might not work for everyone.
Causes
- Chronic constipation
- Nausia
- obesity
Symptoms
- Discomfort while sitting
- Painful bowel movements
- Swelling & Itching
- Excessive Bleeding
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pilonidal sinus?
Pilonidal sinus is a small hole that is seen on the skin, it is found on the top of the cleft of the buttocks.
What are the main symptoms of pilonidal sinus?
There will be pain and foul-smelling discharge oozing out.
What are the major causes of pilonidal sinus?
Pilonidal sinus is mostly caused by sitting for too long, wearing tight clothes, and having ingrown hairs.
What is the best treatment for pilonidal sinus?
Laser surgery is one of the best options to treat pilonidal sinus.
How long does it take to recover from pilonidal sinus laser surgery?
Laser surgery doesn’t usually require much aftercare. The patient should recover in 2 or 3 days.
