Excision of pilonidal sinus
Preparation:
In most cases this will be standard preparation as for a general anaesthetic.
Procedure:
A number of operations are possible for pilonidal sinuses. In all cases the aim is to remove the underlying hair and sinus cavity after this has been done it is possible to:
- Directly suture the wound edges
- Leave the wound open to heal from the base (healing by secondary intention)
If possible the first option is preferred i.e. direct suturing of the wound however if there is a lot of infection it may be necessary to leave the wound edges open. This was traditionally the standard operation for pilonidal sinuses however it does take longer to heal hence the preference of the first option.
Anaesthetic:
General anaesthetic
Post Op:
If the wound has been sutured the stitches will have to be removed in approx 14 days (this may vary in individual cases). As the wound is liable to contamination, and therefore infection, you should be aware that if it discharges or is becoming more painful with time (rather than less painful) the sutures may have to be removed early and the wound edges left open to heal by secondary intention.
If the wound is left open you will require regular dressings until it shows signs of healing satisfactorily.
Even after healing it is important to keep the area around a pilonidal sinus hair free to reduce the risk of recurrence.
OPC Code:
H5940
