Pilonidal Sinus Surgery

Pilonidal Sinus Surgery


Pilonidal Sinus Surgery in India - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Pilonidal sinuses are tiny openings in the dermis. A cyst or abscess may occur if it becomes clogged with fluid or pus. Two pilonidal cysts exist those with gas or fluid within and those with gas or fluid alone. Buttock crease cysts are prevalent, and most of the time, they result from a severe infection. Hair, dust, and other material are often seen in pilonidal cysts. It may be painful, and it's not uncommon to become contaminated. If it gets infected, pus and blood will pour from it, and the stench will be revolting.

Men are more likely than women to suffer from a PNS, which is also more frequent in young people. Cab drivers, for example, are more likely to suffer from this condition. The problem is that many individuals are ashamed to talk about it, even with their doctors.

What are the underlying factors that contribute to a pilonidal sinus disease?

Because this ailment appears after puberty, it is thought that it is caused by a combination of altering hormones, the development of hair, and rubbing from clothing or sitting for extended periods. The specific etiology of this illness is unknown.

Friction-causing activities, such as sitting, might prompt the hair developing in a certain region to re-emerge from under the skin's surface. The body reacts the same way it would to a splinter when it detects this hair as foreign and mounts an immune reaction against it. Because of your immunological reaction, a cyst has formed around your hair. A person can have more than one sinus that connects to others under the skin. The following are the major causes of pilonidal sinus disease:

  • Being a man
  • Being excessively fat
  • Having a history of pilonidal illness run in one's family
  • Being under the age of 30, since the pilonidal sinus is much more prevalent among young persons
  • Suffering from localized damage or discomfort in the region
  • Having a significant amount of hair in the region surrounding the buttocks
  • Adopting a sedentary way of life or sitting still for extended periods
  • Engaging in unsanitary practices regularly.

What are the Pilonidal sinus symptoms?

It's possible that a pilonidal sinus won't produce any symptoms right away. You may be unaware that you own one. When cleaning the afflicted region, some patients discover an asymptomatic lump in the area for the first time. Nevertheless, in most instances, Pilonidal sinus symptoms for men occur at some time and might be either acute or chronic.

Acute symptoms appeared suddenly:

As an infected abscess grows in or around the sinus, you might notice an increase in inflammation and discomfort over time. This may become rather uncomfortable and unpleasant over time.

Continual or chronic manifestations of illness:

A recurring or recurrent pilonidal sinus affects around four out of ten persons. You may have discomfort, but it will be far less severe than the initial symptoms. In most cases, pus is expelled from the sinuses. Because of this, the stress is relieved, and as a result, the pain usually subsides and never becomes as bad. Nevertheless, there is never a full recovery from the illness. As a result, unless the sinuses are surgically repaired, the discomfort and drainage they cause may persist or recur.

There is a wide range of possible severity for the symptoms. The following are the first symptoms of a pilonidal sinus:

  • Tiny dimple.
  • Intensely painful lump.
  • Discomfort
  • Fluid, either clear or cloudy, or sometimes crimson, draining from the afflicted region
  • Infected individuals could have fever, vomiting, or a general feeling of being unwell.
  • If there is an infection, the affected region will become red and painful, and the drainage, also known as pus, will have a putrid odour.

Noninfected pilonidal sinus

If there are no obvious indications of infection, then treatment is not required. It's best to take a 'wait and see attitude. You must take frequent showers or baths to maintain cleanliness in the region between your buttocks. If your primary care physician has not instructed you to do so, refrain from shaving the afflicted region.

When to seek the assistance of a medical expert for a Pilonidal Sinus?

When an infection develops in the pilonidal sinus and symptoms appear. As a result, patients will often need medical intervention. Because the infection does not often clear up, several different, very small surgical treatments can be necessary. You should get in touch with your physician as soon as possible if you see any of the following warning signs or the fist symptoms of Pilonidal sinus:

  • Any indication of a tumour in the area of the upper buttocks.
  • Due to rapid growth, there is pain and discomfort.
  • Continual bleeding and discharge of pus from the affected region.
  • You have previously suffered from pilonidal sinus, and now you've noticed that it's come back
  • Swelling, discomfort and reddish skin.

Pilonidal Sinus Treatment

Therapy may be unnecessary for those who do not exhibit any symptoms or indications of infection stemming from a pilonidal sinus. If patients need Pilonidal Sinus Treatment, it can consist of the following:

1. Hair removal

When an infection is not evident, removing hair from the affected area may be the initial step in treating a pilonidal sinus.

2. Abscess drainage

When a person has an abscess, they need to have it drained by a medical professional. In most cases, this treatment may be carried out in the patient's doctor's office. Before making a hole into the abscess, the physician injects the area with regional anaesthesia. This enables the fluid to flow out and decreases any irritation that may have been there.

3. Antibiotics

Antibiotics are a potential treatment for severe skin irritation and a reduction in the infection that caused it. Antibiotics could be used to treat minor abscesses, or they might be used in conjunction with another therapy.

4. Pit picking

When the abscess is reduced, the pilonidal sinus may become more apparent and hence less difficult to cure. A surgery known as pit picking is sometimes performed on patients a few weeks following the abscess drainage. A medical professional will get local anaesthesia before surgically removing the pit or sinus.

What are my surgical options for treating a pilonidal sinus?

The therapy is tailored to the specific illness pattern. An acute abscess may be treated by making a small incision and draining the fluid. A local anaesthetic may be used to accomplish this surgery. If you have a persistent sinus infection, you may need to have it surgically removed or opened. If you have a recurring or complex ailment, you may have to have surgery. Procedures range from excision and frequent dressing to letting the lesion exposed heal. Immediate closure of the wound is feasible on rare occasions. A flap of skin from the buttocks may be needed to close a complicated, recurring, or very big first-time sinus.

Larger procedures need more time for recovery. They will need to be dressed or packed to keep the wounds clean. It is a more complicated procedure with greater infection risk, but it may be necessary for certain individuals. When you meet with your doctor, they will be able to assist you in deciding which procedure is best for you.

What are a fistula and its symptoms?

One of the most common types of the fistula operation is an irregular passageway that links two different parts of the human body. It can manifest itself anywhere else in the body. However, the anus and the rectum are the most typical locations for it to do so. This is because these regions are more susceptible to infection. In addition to discomfort, general symptoms may include fever, constipation, dehydration, vomiting, nausea, losing weight, and exhaustion.

Pilonidal sinus in women

The pilonidal disease commonly strikes adolescents and young adults in their late adolescence, yet it is widely misunderstood. The majority of individuals who are afflicted with the condition do not like to discuss it because of its uncomfortable placement on the buttocks of the sufferer. Worse still, a significant number of medical professionals, including general surgeons, are just as misinformed, and their botched surgical procedures may do far more harm. As soon as you can overcome the shame associated with having Pilonidal Disease and being a female patient, you will be able to concentrate on managing your ongoing disease.

Bottom Line

Pilonidal sinus is a disorder that may be quite uncomfortable to live with. The good news is that in addition to excellent surgical choices, a wide range of self-care treatments may be used to control the symptoms in the comfort of one's own home. Surgical excision is often the only treatment to permanently remove pilonidal sinuses from the body. Before making a recommendation on which surgical technique would be most appropriate for your circumstance, your physician will examine you and make a diagnosis of your issue. Talk to your primary care physician about your treatment choices so that you may better understand your alternatives.

Pilonidal Sinus Surgery FAQs

What is the shape of the pilonidal sinus in its infancy?

Pilonidal sinus disease is located underneath the skin of the Sacro-coccygeal region. The pilonidal cyst looks like a little dimple or a swelling occurringnear the natal part of your buttocks.

Is a Pilonidal Sinus dangerous?

Although a Pilonidal Sinus or cyst is not fatal, it may turn into a treatment-resistant infection if not treated on time. An infected pilonidal cyst may form an abscess and secrete puss through a sinus. Because of the puss, the abscess smells bad, it causes pain, and a drainage. It can be embarrassing and painful if left untreated.

When can I sit after a pilonidal sinus operation?

A pilonidal sinus surgery requires a healing period of at least 2-4 weeks before you can resume your normal lifestyle. Until that you may not take part in any strenuous activities.

How long does secretions last after a pilonidal sinus operation?

The site of the treatment can take up to a few days to a month to completely heal and stop secreting fluid. The average time required for the healing process is less than three weeks. Until that time, you may experience some secretion.

Does Pilonidal Sinus Affect Erection?

The side effects of a Pilonidal Sinus include complications likeactinomycosis, infection, abscess, and some sexual disorders like phimosis, and erectile dysfunction.

Does Pilonidal Sinus Cause Cancer?

There are many patients who have pilonidal cysts that repeatedly gets infected over a long time. If a proper treatment is not done on time, it could lead to many potential health risks like squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer.

How long does a Pilonidal Sinus surgery take?

An experienced surgeon takes about half an hour to perform the Pilonidal Sinus surgery under general anaesthesia. During the course of the time, the surgeon removes the diseased tissue and the sinus from the infected region.