A Modified Sinus Laser Therapy (mSiLaT) for Pilonidal Sinus: Personal Experience

Pilonidal sinus disease is frequently seen among adolescents, affecting the sacrococcygeal region. Surgical management of sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease remains debatable. This study introduces the modified sinus laser therapy (mSiLaT) technique and presents our experience in the surgical management of pilonidal sinus disease using this novel approach.

From September 2018 to June 2019, a total of 17 patients presenting with symptoms attributed to sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease underwent the mSiLaT procedure at our center. Patients were admitted to the same day care surgery unit 2 hours prior to surgery. They were discharged 6 hours after surgery. Preoperative antibiotics were given intravenously 30 minutes prior to incision. A single surgeon completed all the operations, with no change in the surgical technique. The patients were followed up for at least one year.

All patients returned to normal daily activities without pain-induced limitations on the first postoperative day. All patients returned to work two days after surgery. None of the patients experienced necrosis of the sinus roof. No hematoma or seroma was documented. The mean complete wound healing time was 15 days. After one year of follow-up, no recurrence was documented.

The mSiLaT procedure provides promising results as an emerging minimally invasive procedure that can conclude the everlasting debate on the optimal surgical management of pilonidal disease. Randomized studies are needed to better define the future role of this procedure in comparison with other techniques.