Surgery for pilonidal cyst

Pilonidal Cyst Surgery Overview

• Infected cysts or pilonidal abscess require surgery to drain foreign elements.
• No antibiotic medicine can heal pilonidal cysts alone.
• Two main types of pilonidal cyst surgery:

1. Incision and drainage:
• Common procedure for first-time pilonidal cyst treatment or minor infection.
• Successful about 60% of the time.
• Uses local anesthesia to numb the skin.
• Cuts in the cyst to drain pus and fluid.
• Gauze is used to keep the hole open.
• The treated area takes up to a month to heal.

2. Pilonidal cystectomy:
• Outpatient procedure for stubborn pilonidal cysts.
• Uses regional or general anesthesia for pain relief.
• Cuts to eliminate skin-containing pores and underlying hair follicle tissue.
• Gauze is used to keep the hole open.
• Sometimes a tube is used to drain fluid post-surgery.