[Pit-picking surgery for pilonidal disease]

Area of Science:

• Surgical techniques
• Minimally invasive procedures
• Pilonidal disease management

Background:

• The pit-picking method, a minimally invasive technique for pilonidal disease, was described in 1980 but remains underutilized.
• Pilonidal disease is a chronic condition often requiring surgical intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and recurrence rates of the pit-picking method for pilonidal disease.
• To identify patient factors associated with recurrence after pit-picking surgery.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 157 pit-picking surgeries performed on 153 patients between June 2007 and November 2010.
• Surgery involved local anesthesia, excision of <1 mm skin border around pits, and a 1 cm incision for abscess cavity access.
• No specific postoperative wound care was administered.

Main Results:

• Out of 123 patients with follow-up, 21 (17%) experienced disease recurrence after a mean of 7.1 months.
• Higher body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m² and disease duration ≥6 months were significantly associated with recurrence (p=0.019 and p=0.017, respectively).
• Recurrence rates were higher in males (20%) compared to females (4.5%), though not statistically significant (p=0.12).

Conclusions:

• The pit-picking procedure is a successful treatment for pilonidal disease in over 80% of selected cases.
• Female patients, non-overweight males, and those with shorter disease duration benefit most from this surgical approach.
• Pit-picking offers a viable, minimally invasive option for managing pilonidal disease, with specific patient profiles showing better outcomes.