Surgical treatment of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease by excision and skin flaps: the Toulouse experience

Objective: To compare various techniques for the treatment of pilonidal sinus. Design: Retrospective study Setting: University Hospital of Toulouse, France. Subjects: 246 consecutive patients who presented between 1979 and 1996. The male : female ratio was 2 : 1, and the mean age 26 years (range 18-69). Interventions: 218 one or two stage excision and rotation skin flaps, and 28 simple incisions. Results: 16 sinuses recurred, and no flaps necrosed. Conclusion: Excision and rotation skin flaps offers an effective and elegant alternative to the more classic operations for pilonidal sinus as it causes less postoperative pain and shortens convalescence.