The surgical treatment of pilonidal sinus has remained controversial. Reports from various institutions have shown a wide variation in the incidence of wound-healing complications, and follow-up studies have similary shown a wide variation in the recurrence rate. Several years ago a technique of excision and primary closure was described, and preliminary follow-up studies were reported.14 Our purpose now is to bring this study up to date and present the results of long-term follow-up study.
The operation which we have used throughout this seven-year study is a modification of the bilateral musculofascial-flap procedure described by Holman5 in 1946. Our technique differs from the one described by Holman in that we have used no buried suture material, wound closure has been obtained by means of removable farand-near sutures2,15 of stainless steel inserted through fascia and subcutaneous tissue, as well as skin, and the wounds have been closed without drainage.