What is the meaning of Pilonidal Sinus?
A pilonidal sinus is a small tunnel or hole in the skin at the top of the cleft (where they divide) of the buttocks. A pilonidal sinus may get filled with pus or fluid leading to the formation of a pilonidal cyst (an abnormal growth filled with dirt, hair, and debris) or an abscess (a pocket of pus that gets collected in the spaces inside the body). The pilonidal sinus condition mostly affects men and is commonly seen in young adults. In today’s article, we will discuss in detail the pilonidal sinus treatment.
- What are the causes of diseases caused by Pilonidal Sinus?
- What are the risk factors of Pilonidal Sinus?
- What are the symptoms of Pilonidal Sinus?
- How to diagnose conditions associated with a Pilonidal Sinus?
- What is the treatment for Pilonidal Sinus?
- What are the complications of Pilonidal Sinus?
- How to prevent Pilonidal Sinus?
What are the causes of diseases caused by Pilonidal Sinus?
The exact causepilonidal sinus
However, certain conditions are known to be responsible for pilonidal sinus conditions:
- Change in hormones after puberty
- Friction due to tight clothes
- Hair growth
- Bicycling
- A long time spent on sitting: This can force the growing hair above the buttock area to burrow back under the skin. The body may create a cyst around the hair by responding to the hair as a foreign body.
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What are the risk factors of Pilonidal Sinus?
Certain risk factorsdeveloping conditions
- More commonly seen in men
- Obesity
- Young adults in their twenties
- Inactive lifestyle
- An occupation that requires prolonged sitting
- Coarse or stiff body hair
- Excessive body hair
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What are the symptoms of Pilonidal Sinus?
The symptomsa pilonidal sinus
- A dimple-like, small depression on the surface of the skin.
- Once infected, the depression develops into a cyst (a closed sac filled with fluid) or an abscess (pus collection in an inflamed, swollen tissue).
The symptoms of an infected pilonidal sinus include:
- Pain on sitting or standing
- Swelling of the pilonidal cyst
- Red, sore skin around the infected area
- Protrusion of hair from the lesion
- Blood or pus drainage from the abscess, leading to a foul odor
- Formation of more than one hole (sinus tracts) in the skin
- Low-grade fever
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How to diagnose conditions associated with a Pilonidal Sinus?
- Physical examination: The doctor will first physically examine the patient and ask questions like:
- When did the patient first feel the symptoms?
- Whether he/she had this condition or problem before?
- If the patient had any fever?
- If any action improve the symptoms?
- If doing anything worsens the symptoms?
- What medications or supplements are taken regularly by the patient?
- Does the occupation of the patient involve sitting all day?
- CT (Computerized Tomography) scan and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan: These are imaging tests that may be recommended by the surgeon to look for any holes (sinus cavities) that may have formed under the surface of the skin.
What is the Pilonidal Sinus Treatment?
Pilonidal sinusthe following methods
Conservative treatment:
- In the early stages of pilonidal sinus, the doctor may prescribe antibiotic medications that are used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections.
- Antibiotics do not treat pilonidal sinus but help in providing relief from discomfort and infection.
Lancing:
- Lancing is a procedure performed to relieve symptoms due to an abscess formation and the collection of pus inside the sinus.
- This procedure is done under local anesthesia.
- A scalpel (surgical blade) is used by the surgeon to open the abscess.
- The wound is then packed with a sterile dressing and it is then allowed to heal from inside out.
- The wound generally heals in about four weeks and no further treatment is required.
Phenol injection:
- This procedure is done under local anesthesia.
- The surgeon will then inject an antiseptic chemical compound known as phenol into the cyst.
- This procedure may be repeated many times.
- This will eventually cause hardening and closure of the lesion.
- The recurrence rate is very high in this kind of treatment, and therefore is less preferred.
Surgery:
- A surgical procedure is recommended when there is a presence of more than one sinus tract, or the pilonidal sinus keeps recurring.
- The procedure is done under local anesthesia.
- The lesion is opened by the surgeon using a scalpel.
- The debris and pus are removed from the lesion.
- The surgeon will finally close the wounds using sutures (stitches).
- Post-surgery the doctor will explain how the dressings are to be changed and recommends shaving the surgical site to prevent the growth of hair into the wound.
Laser therapy:
- Laser therapy is useful in the removal of hair that may become ingrown if not removed and lead to the recurrence of Pilonidal cysts.
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What are the complications of Pilonidal Sinus?
The complicationspilonidal sinus
- Formation of an abscess
- Formation of a pilonidal cyst
- Recurrence of pilonidal sinus after surgery
- Systemic infection (an infection spread throughout the body)
- Increased risk of developing a type of skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma
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How to prevent Pilonidal Sinus?
Pilonidal sinus
- Wash and pat dry your buttocks regularly to keep the area dry and clean.
- Lose weight if you are overweight.
- Avoid sitting for a prolonged time.
- Shave the area around the buttocks at least once a week, or use hair removal products to avoid ingrown hair formation.
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We hope we have answered all your questions about Pilonidal Sinus through this article.
If you want more information about Pilonidal Sinus Treatment, contact a General Surgeon.
We aim to provide you with information through this article. We do not recommend any medicine or treatment to anyone. Only a doctor can give you good advice and the correct treatment plan.
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