How is a chronic pilonidal cyst treated?

How is a chronic pilonidal cyst treated?

A pilonidal cyst is an abscess or boil. Treatment may include antibiotics, hot compresses and topical treatment with depilatory creams. In more severe cases it needs to be drained, or lanced, to heal. Like other boils, it does not get better with antibiotics.

What is chronic pilonidal disease?

Pilonidal (say “py-luh-NY-dul”) disease is a chronic skin infection in the crease between the buttocks. People with this condition have one or more cysts in that area that tend to get inflamed and infected. A pilonidal cyst may look like a small dimple (called a “pit” or “sinus”). Hair may stick out from it.

Can a pilonidal cyst cause death?

The patient died after two years. This case study illustrates that since SCC is a fatal complication of recurrent and long-standing pilonidal sinus, the proper treatment of this disease should be carried out as soon as the diagnosis is established.

What causes recurrent pilonidal?

Early recurrence is usually due to failure to identify one or more sinuses at the time of incision and drainage. Later recurrence (more than six months after surgery) is usually due to tension in the midline cleft and a secondary infection caused by further build-up of hair or other debris (Khanzada and Samad, 2007).

What if pilonidal sinus left untreated?

If left untreated, the cyst can drain pus or other fluids, or develop a pilonidal sinus, which is an opening that grows under the skin from the hair follicle. Some of the most common symptoms of a pilonidal cyst infection include skin reddening, pain, and draining of blood or pus.

Why do pilonidal sinuses occur?

It’s not clear what causes a pilonidal sinus. A skin problem, pressure or friction may cause hair between the buttocks to be pushed inwards. This may either be hair growing around the buttock area, or loose hair shed from the buttocks or elsewhere that gathers around the buttock cleft and enters the pilonidal sinus.