Sharp tailbone pain, persistent drainage, and discomfort disrupting your life?
Pilonidal Sinus Treatment in Navi Mumbai
- Dr Nitish Jhawar, with 23 years of experience
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What is the Pilonidal Sinus?
The pilonidal sinus is a small tunnel or tract in the skin at the top of the buttocks, often containing hair and skin debris. This condition typically occurs when hair penetrates the skin, causing inflammation and infection that can lead to an abscess or cyst formation.
How It Differs from Traditional Surgery
Common symptoms include:
- Pain near the tailbone
- Swelling and redness in the affected area
- Persistent drainage of pus or blood
- Unpleasant odour from the drainage
- Formation of abscess or cyst
- Increased discomfort during sitting or physical activity
Who Is Most at Risk?
Pilonidal sinus is most common among young adults. However, the following individuals are more prone to it.
- Young adults, typically between ages 15 and 30
- Individuals with a sedentary lifestyle, spending prolonged periods sitting
- Men, who are more commonly affected than women
- People with thick or coarse body hair
- Those with a family history of pilonidal sinus
What Happens if Pilonidal Sinus is Not Treated?
If a pilonidal sinus is left untreated, it can lead to several complications, including:
- Chronic Infection: The sinus can become repeatedly infected, leading to persistent pain, swelling, and pus drainage.
- Abscess Formation: An untreated sinus can develop into an abscess, a painful, pus-filled pocket that requires drainage.
- Fistula Development: Over time, a pilonidal sinus can form a fistula, a deeper tract that connects to other tissues, complicating treatment.
- Spread of Infection: The infection can spread to surrounding tissues, potentially causing cellulitis or other skin infections.
- Increased Pain and Discomfort: Recurring symptoms can make sitting, standing, or physical activities increasingly painful and challenging.
- Risk of Skin Cancer (Rare): In very chronic, untreated cases, there is a slight risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma at the sinus site.
Prompt treatment can help prevent these complications, improve quality of life, and reduce the risk of recurrence.
What treatment options are available for pilonidal sinus?
Treatment options for pilonidal sinus include:
- Conservative Care: Good hygiene, hair removal, and antibiotics for early infections.
- Minimally Invasive: EPSIT (Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment) for a quick recovery with minimal scarring.
- Surgical Options:
- Incision and Drainage for abscess relief.
- Excision and Closure to remove the sinus, though it has a longer recovery.
- Flap Surgery for chronic cases, reducing recurrence by covering the area with healthy tissue.
- Laser Treatment: Uses lasers to remove the sinus with minimal recovery time and low recurrence rates.
Specialist consultation helps choose the best treatment based on the case’s severity and recurrence.
What Are The Treatment Options For Pilonidal Sinus by Dr. Nitish Jhawar in Navi Mumbai?
EPSIT (Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment)
EPSIT, or Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment, is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat pilonidal sinus by accessing and removing the sinus tract with an endoscope. During the procedure, a small incision is made to insert the endoscope, allowing the surgeon to clean out the sinus, remove any hair or debris, and cauterize the area to prevent future infection. Unlike traditional surgery, EPSIT is quick, precise, and targets only the affected tissue.
Benefits of EPSIT
- Reduced Recovery Time: Patients typically experience faster healing and can resume normal activities sooner.
- Minimal Pain: EPSIT is less painful compared to open surgery, making it a more comfortable option.
- Low Scarring: The procedure requires only a small incision, resulting in minimal or no visible scarring.
- Lower Risk of Recurrence: Sinus tract removal significantly reduces the risk of recurrence.
Ideal Candidates for EPSIT
Mild to moderate cases, first-time occurrences, those needing minimal downtime, active individuals, and some recurrent cases.
LASER Pilonidal Sinus Procedure
Treatment Explanation
The LASER Pilonidal Sinus Procedure uses laser energy to remove the sinus tract precisely with minimal disruption to surrounding tissue. Through a small incision, a laser fiber is inserted to clear the infected area and close the sinus. This minimally invasive approach reduces the chance of recurrence and speeds up recovery.
Benefits
- Minimal pain and discomfort
- Quick recovery with a shorter downtime
- Reduced scarring due to the small incision
- Lower risk of recurrence compared to traditional methods
Ideal Candidate
LASER procedure is the best for mild to moderate cases or for those seeking minimally invasive solutions.
Incision and Drainage of Acute Abscess
Treatment Explanation
This procedure is recommended when a pilonidal sinus has formed an acute abscess. The treatment involves making a small incision to drain pus and relieve pressure, alleviating pain and reducing infection. While this method provides immediate relief, it is often a temporary solution and may require additional treatment to prevent recurrence.
Benefits
- Immediate pain relief from abscess drainage
- Quick procedure with minimal complexity
- Often performed under local anaesthesia
- Reduced infection spread by draining the abscess
Ideal Candidate
This procedure is the best for mild to moderate cases or for those seeking minimally invasive solutions.
Excision and Reconstruction with Local Advancement Flap
Treatment Explanation
Excision with local advancement flap surgery is a comprehensive treatment for complex or recurrent pilonidal sinus cases. The sinus tract and surrounding affected tissue are surgically removed, and a flap of healthy tissue is advanced over the area to promote healing and reduce recurrence. This technique provides a more durable solution for severe cases.
Benefits
- Effective for chronic and recurrent cases
- Lower recurrence rate due to complete removal of the sinus
- Better wound healing with the coverage of healthy tissue
- Reduced risk of complications, as the flap provides a robust closure
Ideal Candidate
Excision and reconstruction with a flap is ideal for patients with chronic or complex cases who have experienced recurrence or have larger sinus tracts.
What Makes Dr. Jhawar the Best Colorectal Surgeon in Navi Mumbai to Treat Pilonidal Sinus?
Dr. Nitish Jhawar is a highly respected and experienced laparoscopic & colorectal surgeon based in Navi Mumbai, known for his expertise in minimally invasive treatments.
With extensive qualifications, including advanced training and numerous successful procedures, Dr. Jhawar specializes in treating conditions like pilonidal sinus with cutting-edge techniques. He is internationally trained in endoscopic treatment of pilonidal sinus (EPSIT) by the inventor of the technique Dr P. Meinero himself.
His focus on Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment (EPSIT) & laser pilonidal sinus surgery allows patients to benefit from effective, low-risk solutions that minimize recovery time and discomfort.
Dr. Jhawar’s patient-centered approach and commitment to excellence have established him as a leader in advanced pilonidal sinus treatments, bringing both skill and compassion to every case.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Recovery time for EPSIT is typically quick. Most patients resume daily activities within a few days and experience full recovery in about 1-2 weeks.
EPSIT is minimally invasive and generally involves minimal pain. Patients may feel mild discomfort initially, but it usually resolves within a few days.
Flap surgery is highly effective for recurrent pilonidal sinus cases. It covers the affected area with healthy tissue, significantly lowering the risk of recurrence.
Possible complications include infection, minor bleeding, or, in rare cases, recurrence. However, these risks can be minimized with proper care and specialist guidance.