A clinical evaluation of depilation and curettage in the management of pilonidal sinus

Abstract

Pilonidal sinus is a chronic discharging sinus occurs at intergluteal cleft commonly in young adults. There is recurrent infection and discharge. While sitting the buttocks move, hair is broken off by friction, gets collected in cleft. The loose hair travels down the intergluteal furrow to penetrate the soft and moistened skin at that region or enters the open mouth of sudoriferous gland to give rise to formation of an abscess. The abscess bursts and forms pilonidal sinus. The conventional treatment is wide excision followed by second intention healing. Other treatment options are different types of plasty such as rhomboid flap, Z plasty etc. These procedures are highly invasive. Open wound takes months to heal and even after there are fair chances of recurrence.  The present study was designed to carry out minimal invasive procedure of curettage of sinus and depilation as OPD procedure. The procedure performed in 20 patients who were randomly selected. The data collected for a period of almost two years. A follow up for 18 months was documented. The results of depilation and curettage in the management of pilonidal sinus were encouraging. The morbidity and recurrence were significantly less.