Pilonidal Sinus (also called Pilonidal Cyst or Tailbone Cyst or Coccygeal Fistula) is a small hole at the cleft of the top part of the buttocks, above the sacrum. It contains hair that may form cysts or abscess. This condition primarily affects young men (15 to 30 years old), but may also occur on women.

Pilonidal Sinus Symptoms

• Pain in the mid-buttocks especially when sitting
• Swelling and redness
• Foul-smelling pus, sometimes with blood and hair, secreting from the cyst or abscess

Pilonidal Sinus Causes

• Obesity (body mass index: 30 and above)
• More than usual amount of hair
• Family history
• Jobs that require sitting down for long periods of time
• There are 2 assumptions as to the cause of the disease:
• The congenital theory, in which the pilonidal sinus is a result of the abnormal migration of cells during the development of the embryo. Some skin cells remained close to the bone, and the hair growth under the skin triggers inflammation and infection.
• The acquired theory, in which skin hair and debris get trapped in the skin’s pores, forming a cyst.

Pilonidal Sinus Treatment

Pilonidal Sinus may be classified as “acute” or “chronic.” If there is an infected abscess, doctors would prescribe antibiotics as well as recommend a surgical operation to drain the affected area of pus. If the sinus is not infected, patients may opt for less invasive procedures, so they may continue with the daily activities even on the same day right after surgery.

It is essential that treatment is done during the early stages, before the sinus grows and requires a more serious surgical operation.

At Jehad International Medical Clinic, we are proud to offer Laser Treatment and Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment (EPSiT), a novel minimally invasive treatment for Pilonidal Sinus — the first of its kind in UAE.