Pilonidal Sinus
What Is
Pilonidal Sinus?
The pilonidal sinus (PNS) is a tiny skin opening or tube. It may get clogged with fluid or pus, forming a cyst or abscess. The cleft at the top of the buttocks is where it happens. Hair, filth, and debris are common in pilonidal cysts. It can cause excruciating pain and is frequently infected. It may leak pus and blood and have a horrible odour if it becomes infected.
Causes
The actual aetiology of this condition is unknown, however it is thought to be a combination of altering hormones (due to the fact that it occurs after puberty), hair growth, and friction from clothing or lengthy periods of sitting.
Sitting and other activities that produce friction can cause the hair growing in the area to burrow back beneath the skin. The body recognises this hair as alien and responds with an immunological reaction similar to how it would react to a splinter. The cyst that grows around your hair is the result of this immunological response. Multiple sinuses that join under the skin can occur in some people.
Symptoms
Other than a little, dimple-like depression on the surface of your skin, you may not have any obvious symptoms at first. However, if the depression becomes infected, it will swiftly turn into a cyst or an abscess. The following are symptoms of an infection:
- When sitting or standing, there is pain.
- The cyst will swell.
- The skin around the affected area is reddish and inflamed.
- A foul odour is caused by pus or blood oozing from the abscess. a strand of hair projecting from the lesion
- More than one sinus tract can arise, as well as skin perforations.
- A low-grade fever is also possible, but it is considerably less common.
Diagnosis
The doctor will begin by performing a thorough physical examination on you. During the exam, he’ll look for evidence of a pilonidal cyst in the crease of your buttocks. A pilonidal cyst should be apparent to the naked eye if you have one. The doctor may notice what appears to be a pimple or an oozing cyst. The doctor may conduct a CT scan or an MRI to check for any sinus cavities (small holes) that have formed beneath the surface of your skin.
Diagnosis
The doctor will begin by performing a thorough physical examination on you. During the exam, he’ll look for evidence of a pilonidal cyst in the crease of your buttocks. A pilonidal cyst should be apparent to the naked eye if you have one. The doctor may notice what appears to be a pimple or an oozing cyst. The doctor may conduct a CT scan or an MRI to check for any sinus cavities (small holes) that have formed beneath the surface of your skin.
Treatment
Antibiotic– If your case is discovered early on, you aren’t in excruciating pain, and there isn’t any evidence of inflammation, your doctor is likely to recommend a broad-spectrum antibiotic. A broad-spectrum antibiotic is one that may be used to treat a variety of microorganisms. It’s crucial to understand that while this won’t repair your sinuses, it will provide respite from the infection and discomfort. Your doctor will advise that you undergo a follow-up exam, shave or remove hair from the affected area on a regular basis, and pay special attention to hygiene.
Phenol injection– Your doctor will initially provide a local anaesthetic before proceeding with the procedure. They will next inject phenol, an antibacterial chemical component, into the cyst. It’s possible that this method will have to be repeated multiple times. The lesion will eventually harden and close as a result of this treatment. This treatment has a high rate of recurrence. As a result, it’s rare in the United States. In some circumstances, doctors resort to surgery as a therapy option.
Lancing– An abscess, or an accumulation of pus inside the sinus, is treated with this treatment. Your doctor will administer a local anaesthetic prior to the surgery. The abscess will next be opened with a scalpel. Hair, blood, and pus from inside the abscess will be removed.
Your doctor will apply sterile dressing to the wound and enable it to heal from the inside out. The wound normally heals in four weeks, and many people don’t need any additional care.
Surgery– Your doctor will prescribe surgery if you have a reoccurring PNS or if you have more than one sinus tract. A local anaesthetic will be administered first. The surgeon will then open the lesions and remove all pus and debris. The surgeon will sew the wounds closed once this operation is completed. Your doctor will show you how to change the bandages after surgery and may advise you to shave the area to prevent hair from growing into the wound.