The Presence of Pilonidal Sinus Infection Before Surgery Versus Other Factors as Predictors of Sinus Recurrence After

Andro A Awed1, Mostafa B Duhmaj2, Hamed Al-Aamri3

  • 1General Surgery, Nizwa Hospital/Ministry of Health, Nizwa, OMN.

Cureus
|February 7, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Pre-operative infection signs significantly predict pilonidal sinus recurrence after surgery. Surgical technique, antibiotics, and drain use did not correlate with recurrence in this study.

Area of Science:

  • Surgical outcomes
  • Clinical research

Background:

  • Pilonidal sinus is a common condition with a high rate of recurrence.
  • Effective surgical management strategies are crucial to minimize disease recurrence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between surgical management variables and pilonidal sinus recurrence.
  • To identify predictors of pilonidal sinus recurrence within a three-year follow-up period.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 100 patients with sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus undergoing surgical excision.
  • Data collected included surgical technique, pre-operative infection signs, antibiotic use, and drain insertion.
  • Bivariate analysis was used to assess correlations with recurrence.

Main Results:

  • The overall recurrence rate was 20% within the three-year follow-up.
  • No significant correlation was found between recurrence and surgical technique, pre-operative antibiotic course, or drain insertion.
  • A statistically significant relationship exists between pre-operative signs of infection and disease recurrence (p = 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Pre-operative infection is a significant predictor of pilonidal sinus recurrence.
  • Surgical technique, antibiotic use, and drain insertion are not correlated with recurrence.
  • Focusing on managing pre-operative infection may improve surgical outcomes for pilonidal sinus.