Our Experience With Four or More Crystallised Phenol Applications in Pilonidal Sinus Disease

The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical outcomes of patients with pilonidal sinus who underwent daily phenol treatment in the local intervention room of the outpatient clinic. We retrospectively evaluated 53 patients (43 male, 10 female) aged ≥ 18 years who received 4-9 crystallised phenol applications for pilonidal sinus disease. The mean number of phenol applications was 4.84 sessions (range: 4-9). Treatment success was achieved in 92.45% of patients, with a 3-year follow-up. Recurrence occurred in one patient (1.9%), while three patients (5.7%) required surgery due to treatment failure. Complications included skin necrosis (n = 2) and transient pain (n = 2). Phenol treatment is an effective and simple procedure compared to surgical methods, which can be easily applied in outpatient treatment. Therefore, we believe that it can be applied in many sessions to suitable patients without the need for aggressive surgical excision.