Minimally Invasive Phenol Treatment for Pilonidal Sinus: A Single-Center Case Series From Japan.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Innovation
• Minimally Invasive Procedures
• Proctology

Background:

• Pilonidal sinus (PS) is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting young adults.
• Traditional treatments involve extensive surgery with long recovery times.
• Limited clinical data exists for phenol treatment of PS in Japan.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of phenol treatment for pilonidal sinus in a Japanese cohort.
• To assess short-term outcomes including complications and recurrence rates.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 11 patients with pilonidal sinus treated with phenol.
• Procedure involved excision of midline pits, curettage of the sinus tract, phenol injection, and ethanol neutralization.
• Data collected included patient demographics, operative details, hospital stay, complications, and recurrence.

Main Results:

• Median patient age was 27 years, with 10 males.
• Median operative time was 32 minutes and median postoperative hospital stay was 2 days.
• Two cases of postoperative bleeding were managed conservatively; no recurrence was observed during a median follow-up of 331 days.

Conclusions:

• Phenol treatment for pilonidal sinus is a simple, minimally invasive procedure.
• It is associated with short hospitalization and favorable short-term outcomes.
• This technique shows promise as a viable treatment option for pilonidal sinus in Japan.