PILONIDAL DISEASE

Pilonidal disease is a common and well-recognized medical condition. It affects people in reproductive age, especially men and in combination with in-patient and outpatient treatment and absence from work it causes a considerable socioeconomic loss. This fact led to a renewed interest in understanding of the disease and search for the ideal method of treatment. The purpose of this review was to provide update on therapeutic options for patients with pilonidal disease. In case of chronic or recurrent pilonidal disease various treatment options exist, addressing different measures of surgical outcome. Like for many conditions, there is increase in the use of minimally invasive techniques in the treatment, which could be alternative to surgical excisions for pilonidal disease. Procedures for treatment of pilonidal disease can be divided in two large groups: minimally invasive treatment and excisional procedures. Although various treatment options exist nowadays, surgery is still preferred as definitive treatment. The optimal closure of the wound following an excision is still under debate since outcome measures depend mostly on type of closure selected. Most of the procedures fail to achieve the goals altogether. The final decision on treatment should be made based on surgeon and the patient’ preference.