Drainage useful in the excision and closure "per primam" of pilonidal sinus: technical notes

Pilonidal sinus treatment is still controversial, since all the most commonly used methods cause the patients considerable discomfort ("open" method) or increase the recurrence rate ("closed" method). In view of this, we reviewed our series of 52 patients treated by "en bloc" excision of all pathological tissue following closure "per primam" of the wound, after applying an aspirating drainage, which was then removed on day 2 or 3. Routine use of the drainage, antibiotic prophylaxis continued until postoperative day 6 or 7 and thorough daily disinfection of the wound and its neighbouring skin until removal of the suture, enabled us to achieve encouraging results (slight complications in 3 cases and only one recurrence).