OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of fascial tissue flaps and skin flaps with layered sutures for repairing wounds after excision of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus. METHODS: Between March 2019 and August 2022, 9 patients with sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus were admitted, including 7 males and 2 females with an average age of 29.4 years (range, 17-53 years). The disease duration ranged from 1 to 36 months, with a median of 6 months. There were 7 cases with obesity and dense hair, 3 cases with infection, and 2 cases with positive bacterial culture of sinus secretion. The wound area after excision ranged from 3 cm×3 cm to 8 cm×4 cm, with a depth of 3-5 cm, reaching the perianal or caudal bone; there were 2 cases with perianal abscess formation and 1 case with caudal bone inflammatory edema. Enlarged resection was performed during operation, and the fascial tissue flap and skin flap were designed and excised at both left and right sides of the buttock, ranging from 3.0 cm×1.5 cm to 8.0 cm×2.0 cm. A cross drainage tube was placed at the bottom of the wound, and the fascial tissue flap and skin flap were advanced and sutured in three layers, namely, 8-string sutures in the fascial layer, barbed wire reduction sutures in the dermis, and interrupted skin sutures. RESULTS: All 9 patients were followed up 3-36 months, with an average of 12 months. All incisions healed by first intention, and no complication such as incisional dehiscence or infection in the operative area occurred. There was no recurrence of sinus tracts, the shape of gluteal sulcus was satisfactory, both sides of buttocks were symmetrical, local incision scar was concealed, and the shape disruption was minimal. CONCLUSION Fascial tissue flaps and skin flaps with layered sutures for repairing wounds after excision of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus can effectively fill the cavity and reduce the incidence of poor incision healing, with the advantages of small trauma and simple operation.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Adult ; Pilonidal Sinus/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Surgical Flaps ; Plastic Surgery Procedures ; Skin Transplantation ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Sutures ; Perforator Flap

Sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease(SPD) is an acquired disease intimately related to the presence of hair in the gluteal groove. Although its pathogenesis is still controversial, numerous treatment options are available for SPD including gluteal groove and surrounding skin hair removal, sinusectomy, open healing by secondary intention, primary closure, and local excision with flap reconstruction. Lacking of standardized diagnosis and treatment processes of SPD in China, Chinese Medical Doctor Association Anorectal Branch and its Clinical Guidelines Committee jointly organized experts in this field to form expert consensus opinion on the basis of summarizing latest research progress in China and abroad, experts' clinical experience and principles of evidence-based medicine. The expert group formed opinion in 12 terms of SPD diagnosis, risk factors, non-surgical treatment, surgical treatment, minimally invasive treatment, and wound management, and developed the "Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease (2023 edition)" after rounds of discussion and revision, to improve the diagnosis and treatment of SPD.
Humans ; Consensus ; Surgical Flaps ; Wound Healing ; China ; Pilonidal Sinus/surgery*

INTRODUCTION: Interdigital pilonidal sinus is an acquired condition secondary to penetration of hair fragments into the skin of the web spaces of the hands commonly observed in hairdressers, and occasionally, among pet groomers. Local literature reports or guidelines to ensure practice of protective measures for this population of workers are currently lacking. CASE SUMMARY: A 24-year old pet groomer consulted due to occasional white hair strands emerging from two openings in the third interdigital space of his dominant hand. Histopathologic examination of the sinus tract showed an acanthotic, hyperplastic epidermis with scale crust, and nodular dermal infiltrates composed of epithelioid histiocytes, plasma cells, lymphocytes, and eosinophils. Transepidermal extrusion of polarizable hair cortical material was also evident establishing the diagnosis of an interdigital pilonidal sinus. Sinusectomy and debridement with healing by secondary intention resulted in an optimal wound closure and full motion of the affected hand after one week and minimal scarring with no recurrence after seven months. CONCLUSION Surgical excision followed by proper wound care is essential to avoid recurrence. In conclusion, since interdigital pilonidal disease is a rare condition, awareness among physicians would lead to accurate diagnosis, optimal treatment, and proper patient education.
occupational diseases ; grooming ; extremities ; Pilonidal sinus

PURPOSE: Pilonidal sinus disease is a common condition, which mostly affects young men. While various surgical techniques have been introduced for treating intergluteal pilonidal disease (IPD), controversies still exist regarding the best surgical approach. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency and the short-term outcomes of Limberg flap and Karydakis flap surgeries for the treatments of patients with IPD.METHODS: A total of 80 patients with IPD who had underwent either Karydakis flap (KF group: n = 37) or Limberg flap (LF group: n = 27) surgery between January 2015 and January 2016 at Imam Khomeini Hospital of Sari in the North of Iran were recruited for inclusion in this randomized, single-blind study.RESULTS: Compared to the KF group, the LF group showed faster complete wound healing, longer duration of surgery and hospital stay, larger wound size, and shorter period of incapacity for work. The overall patient satisfaction in the LF group was significantly higher than that in the KF group. The visual analogue scale score of pain was lower in the LF group than in the KF group. Also, the overall frequency of postoperative complications was higher in the KF group than in the LF group. Recurrence was reported in one patient from the KF group.CONCLUSION: Given the lower rate of postoperative complications and greater cosmetic satisfaction of patients, the Limberg flap procedure should be selected, instead of the Karydakis flap procedure, as the standard technique for treating patients with IPD.
Clergy ; Humans ; Iran ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Patient Satisfaction ; Pilonidal Sinus ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Single-Blind Method ; Surgical Flaps ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: Surgical excision is the preferred treatment modality for sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus (PS). Notably, the desirable features of an ideal surgical intervention are excision with minimal tissue loss, closure without tension, and a lateral suture line. The present study aimed to investigate early outcomes of surgical excision through the inverse D (ᗡ) incision based on tissue loss, wound tension, and suture line location. METHODS: This prospective study was comprised of 80 patients with PS in whom excision of PS was performed through the ‘ᗡ’ incision to minimize tissue loss with a tensionless primary surgical wound closure. The suture line was located laterally in all patients. Early and late postoperative complications, duration of hospital stay, return to work, and recurrence rates were investigated. The mean duration of the follow-up period was 36 months. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients (78.8%) were male. PS in all patients was surgically removed by subcutaneous excision through a ‘ᗡ’ incision. Laterally placed surgical wounds were closed primarily with interrupted vertical mattress sutures. No general complications were encountered. Five patients (6.3%) experienced early postoperative surgical site complications. On average, the duration of hospital stay and return to work were 2.4 days and 3.8 days, respectively. Recurrence was seen in 1 case (1.3%) during the follow-up period. Satisfaction score was high in 83.8% of patients. CONCLUSION: The method of sinus excision using the ‘ᗡ’ incision with a primary suture facilitates excision with minimal tissue loss and closure without tension with an off-midline suture. It is both a simple and effective surgical technique for the treatment of sacrococcygeal PS.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Methods ; Pilonidal Sinus ; Postoperative Complications ; Prospective Studies ; Recurrence ; Return to Work ; Sutures ; Wounds and Injuries

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of Limberg flap reconstruction for pilonidal sinus with acute abscess remains unclear. This study aimed to compare outcomes after Limberg flap reconstruction for pilonidal sinus disease with and without acute abscess. A secondary objective was to perform a review of the literature on the topic. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients who underwent excision and Limberg flap reconstruction for pilonidal sinus from 2009 to 2018. Patient demographics, wound characteristics, and complication rates were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: Group 1 comprised 19 patients who underwent Limberg flap reconstruction for pilonidal sinus disease without acute abscess and group 2 comprised four patients who underwent reconstruction for pilonidal sinus disease with acute abscess. The average defect size after excision was larger in group 2 than group 1 (107.7±60.3 cm² vs. 61.4±33.8 cm², respectively). There were no recurrences, seromas or cases of flap necrosis postoperatively. There was only one revision surgery needed for evacuation of a postoperative hematoma in group 1. There were comparable rates of partial wound dehiscence treated by local wound care, hematoma, need for revision surgery and minor infection between group 1 and group 2. CONCLUSIONS: Limberg flap reconstruction for pilonidal sinus in the setting of acute abscess is a viable option with outcomes comparable to that for disease without acute abscess. This practice will avoid the pain and cost associated with a prolonged local wound care regimen involved in drainage of the abscess prior to flap reconstruction.
Abscess ; Demography ; Drainage ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Pilonidal Sinus ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Seroma ; Surgical Flaps ; Wounds and Injuries

The cause of a pilonidal cyst is unclear, and treatment is still under debate. In Korea, the incidence of this disease is lower than that of Western countries, and it has often been misdiagnosed as a simple abscess. When pilonidal cysts are diagnosed, the principle of treatment is not to leave a residue, and a wide excision is needed to reduce the recurrence rate. This paper introduces a wide excision technique using Indigo-carmine dye to minimize the recurrence of a pilonidal cyst.
Abscess ; Incidence ; Korea ; Pilonidal Sinus ; Recurrence ; Sacrococcygeal Region

PURPOSE: We aimed to compare skin closure techniques, standard (intermittent mattress) and continuous subcuticular sutures, following Limberg flap procedure. METHODS: From July 2013 to July 2015, 92 patients with sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease were prospectively randomized into 2 groups consisting of 46 patients for both. Patients underwent sinus excision and closure with Limberg flap; continuous subcuticular suture was used in subcuticular group (SG) and intermittent mattress sutures were used in mattress group (MG) for skin closure. Characteristics of patients, features of pilonidal disease, macerations, infections, wound dehiscence, flap necrosis, operation time, time of drain removal, wound complications, early recurrences, and time till return to work were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference between groups per sex, age, body mass index, smoking, number of sinuses, depth of intergluteal sulcus, distance of incision to anus, volume of extracted tissue, number of hair follicles per cm2, recurrence, operation, and mean follow-up time. Two patients showed signs of wound complications (4.4%) in SG, whereas 8 cases (17.4%) showed signs in MG (P < 0.05). One patient in SG had surgical site infection and required antibiotics (2.2%), where as there were 6 cases treated in MG (13.0%) (P < 0.05). Removal of drain tube, and time till return to work rates are lower for SG than MG (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, surgical procedures which include Limberg flap method and subcuticular closure may reduce infection and maceration rates. Future studies are needed to achieve greater detailed evaluation.
Anal Canal ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Body Mass Index ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Methods ; Necrosis ; Pilonidal Sinus ; Prospective Studies ; Recurrence ; Return to Work ; Skin ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Surgical Flaps ; Surgical Wound Infection ; Sutures ; Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries

Local flaps exhibit excellent color matching that no other type of flap can compete with. Moreover, surgery using a local flap is easier and faster than surgery using a distant or free flap. However, local flaps can be much more difficult to design. We designed 2 templates to plan a V-Y rotation advancement flap. The template for a unilateral V-Y rotation advancement flap was used on the face (n=5), anterior tibia (n=1), posterior axilla (n=1), ischium (n=1), and trochanter (n=2). The template for a bilateral flap was used on the sacrum (n=8), arm (n=1), and anterior tibia (n=1). The causes of the defects were meningocele (n=3), a decubitus ulcer (n=5), pilonidal sinus (n=3), and skin tumor excision (n=10). The meningocele patients were younger than 8 days. The mean age of the adult patients was 50.4 years (range, 19–80 years). All the donor areas of the flaps were closed primarily. None of the patients experienced wound dehiscence or partial/total flap necrosis. The templates guided surgeons regarding the length and the placement of the incision for a V-Y rotation advancement flap according to the size of the wound. In addition, they could be used for the training of residents.
Adult ; Arm ; Axilla ; Femur ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Humans ; Ischium ; Meningocele ; Necrosis ; Pilonidal Sinus ; Pressure Ulcer ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Sacrum ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; Surgeons ; Surgical Flaps ; Tibia ; Tissue Donors ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: Although there are several surgical methods for treatment of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus, there is no widespread consensus. In this study, we aimed to compare primary closure, Limberg, and modified Limberg flap techniques, with each performed by each of 3 surgeons. METHODS: A total of 802 patients who were operated on for pilonidal sinus disease were included in this retrospective cohort study. Patients were evaluated in 3 groups: group 1 (limited excision + primary closure), group 2 (large excision + Limberg flap technique), and group 3 (large excision + modified Limberg technique). Development of early or late period complications was accepted as primary outcome. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 28.1 ± 6.7 years. Operation time in group 1 was 44.0 ± 14.5 minutes, and was shorter in comparison to other 2 groups (P < 0.001). One or more complications developed in 171 patients (21.3%) within study group. Highest complication rate was in group 1, with a rate of 30.7% (P < 0.001). Rate of wound dehiscence and recurrence in group 1 were differed significantly from other groups (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Based on the same technique-the same surgeon approach, comparison of surgical methods for treatment of pilonidal sinus showed that modified Limberg and Limberg techniques are superior to primary closure technique in terms of general complication, wound dehiscence, and recurrence rates.
Cohort Studies* ; Consensus ; Humans ; Pilonidal Sinus* ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies* ; Surgeons ; Surgical Flaps ; Wounds and Injuries