Pilonidal Sinus: Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery and Prevention
A pilonidal sinus occurs at the top of the buttocks crease. Know all about pilonidal sinus - diagnosis, treatment, recovery, prevention.
A pilonidal sinus is a small opening or a tunnel found in the skin in the area on the top of your buttocks where they divide. Pilonidal sinus affects both sexes. It is seen frequently in men due to excess hair growth and in people who have to sit for long periods of time, like cab drivers.
Pilonidal sinuses are harmless and do not cause any symptoms. It forms an abscess when infected with hair follicles, dirt, and debris. Fever, swollen and tender areas, and oozing of pus from the sinus are the common symptoms when an abscess develops. Treatment of pilonidal sinus consists of medicines to treat the fever and pain and antibiotics for the infection. These infections tend to recur because of hair follicles in your butt area. In such cases, your surgeon may recommend pilonidal sinus drainage or surgery. Sometimes, the drainage of the pilonidal sinus is done in an emergency setting when the symptoms are severe.
The pilonidal sinus is an opening in the skin on the natal cleft (the place below your lower back where the buttocks divideActivities that cause friction on the skin of the buttock, like sitting for a long time, can cause the hair growing in the area to push back inwards. The body recognizes this hair as a foreign object and launches an immune response to push the hair out, causing pus, fever, pain, and inflammation (abscess symptoms).
Pilonidal sinus drainage is a conventional surgical approach that involves cutting through the skin overlying the abscess to drain the pus. The surgeon uses a surgical knife known as a scalpel to make a single large incision to cut across the layers of the skin and underlying tissues, thereby exposing the abscess. The surgeon makes an incision, drains, and scrapes the abscess lining. The surgical wound is packed with gauze.
The pilonidal sinus is a small tunnel under the skin at the top of your butt, where the butt divides. It generally does not cause any symptoms. Due to repeated infections or when hair and debris get trapped in the sinus, the abscess develops (collection of pus in the sinus) in a pilonidal sinus.
Pilonidal abscess drainage is the primary treatment modality for an infected pilonidal abscess. Antibiotics alone are ineffective in treating the pain and other symptoms of the abscess. Incision and drainage (I&D) of the pilonidal sinus are recommended if the below symptoms are present:
You must consult your doctor if you have symptoms that are causing discomfort. Your doctor will:
Pilonidal sinus drainage is a safe outpatient procedure that takes 10 to 20 minutes and performed under local or general anesthesia. On the day of the procedure, you will be made to sign a consent form that gives permission to the surgeon to perform this procedure on you.
Other instructions
As with other surgical procedures, pilonidal sinus drainage has many advantages and poses a high risk of infections and other complications if not treated on time.
Benefits
Risks
Surgery can be a daunting aspect, and feeling anxious is absolutely normal. The massive amount of information you can get from the internet may confuse you even more. This is where Medfin can help. Leave us the hefty task of finding the best hospital, the finest doctor, and the latest procedure at the lowest cost. Let us take charge while you sit back and focus on your health and recovery. Think surgery! Think Medfin!
Unfortunately, a pilonidal abscess can return after surgery despite proper treatment and healing. Additional surgery will likely be needed to treat the recurrence of an abscess.
Usually, there are no diet restrictions, and you may eat a normal diet after pilonidal abscess drainage. Consuming a fiber-rich diet like fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables is essential to prevent constipation from developing, as it can cause re-infection and delay healing. Avoid spicy and fried foods, citrus fruits and juices, and caffeinated drinks for at least 1 week after the procedure.
Pilonidal sinus is not known to cause cancer. Very rarely, the pilonidal sinus may lead to the development of squamous cell carcinoma.
It is advisable to avoid the following foods after pilonidal sinus drainage to promote healing:
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