What is pilonidal sinus caused by?

Causes of pilonidal sinus A skin problem, pressure or friction may cause hair between the buttocks to be pushed inwards. This may either be hair growing around the buttock area, or loose hair shed from the buttocks or elsewhere that gathers around the buttock cleft and enters the pilonidal sinus.

Why does my pilonidal sinus keep coming back?

Early recurrence is usually due to failure to identify one or more sinuses at the time of incision and drainage. Later recurrence (more than six months after surgery) is usually due to tension in the midline cleft and a secondary infection caused by further build-up of hair or other debris (Khanzada and Samad, 2007).

How serious is a pilonidal sinus?

While the cyst is not serious, it can become an infection and should therefore be treated. When a pilonidal cyst gets infected, it forms an abscess, eventually draining pus through a sinus. The abscess causes pain, a foul smell, and drainage. This condition is not serious.

How do I stop my pilonidal sinus from coming back?

How can pilonidal cysts be prevented?

1. Regularly washing and drying your buttocks (to keep the area clean).
2. Losing weight (if you are currently overweight) to lower your risk.
3. Avoiding sitting for too long (if your job allows) to keep pressure off the area.
4. Shaving the hair around your buttocks (once a week or more).

What causes a pilonidal cyst on the face?

The exact cause of pilonidal cysts isn’t clear. But most pilonidal cysts appear to be caused by loose hairs that penetrate the skin. Friction and pressure — skin rubbing against skin, tight clothing, bicycling, long periods of sitting or similar factors — force the hair down into skin.

What happens when a pilonidal operation is left in place?

Instead, pilonidal operations fail when a surgeon leaves a suture line or an overhang within a cleft, especially a deep and tight one. Operations succeed when a surgeon reshapes the cleft, changes deep to shallow, and when he/she moves the cleaned-out chronic abscess walls in place. Cleft Lift thus creates no cavity.

When does a pilonidal cyst become an abscess?

Pilonidal cyst. Pilonidal cysts usually occur when hair punctures the skin and then becomes embedded. If a pilonidal cyst becomes infected, the resulting abscess is often extremely painful. The cyst can be drained through a small incision or removed surgically. Pilonidal cysts most commonly occur in young men, and the problem has a tendency…

What kind of flap is used for pilonidal failure to heal?

Limberg Flap, Z-Plasty, Rotational Flap. The surgeon crosses the pointed flaps to cross the midline in a horizontal direction, thus converts an N shaped incision to a Z shaped closure.Textbooks suggest the source of pilonidal failure-to-heal is a “cavity” unfilled. Bascom reviewed failed operations and found otherwise.