Dr. Mihir Shankar, a reconstructive plastic surgeon at The Venkat Center in Bangalore speaks about a condition known as Pilonidal Sinus. Dr. Mihir starts with breaking down the meaning of the term Pilonidal Sinus. Pilus, means hair, nidus, means nest and sinus, is a ‘blind ending tract’.
This skin condition occurs in the lower back area, and above the anal area known as the sacral region. Sitting for extended hours is a cause for this skin condition. Students, drivers or even executives. This condition can affect a wide range of individuals. It is more commonly seen in men, people who have more hair on their bodies and in people who are a little obese.
The most common symptom mentioned by Dr. Mihir when referring to Pilonidal Sinus is the appearance of skin pits, that are seen in the region between the buttocks. An associated symptom is a watery discharge that could be foul smelling. There is also itching in the region that is distressing for someone in a public area. When Dr. Mihir speaks of the causes of this skin condition, he mentions that there is a combination of excessive hair, pressure and sweating that result in changes in the skin and cause skin pits.
The hair tends to get sucked into the affected area forming the sinus tract. The treatment options for Pilonidal Sinus are either medical or surgical line of treatment. This depends on whether the severity of the condition. There could be a small pore and in cases of severe cases it could be a long or a large area of wound. The medical line of treatment would be simple dressings, negative pressure wound dressing or VAC (Vacuum Assisted Closure) dressing and laser hair removal.
When it comes to surgical methods of treatment Dr. Mihir states that this skin condition can be treated with ‘flap surgery’. A flap is portion of the skin with subcutaneous fat and muscle from a neighbouring area, and either rotate, transpose or advance the tissue to cover this defect. The reason behind getting this condition treated is because, one, it could be quite distressing to an individual with this condition on a day-to-day basis, and two, it can infection and also cause an infection to the underlying sacral bone.
In conclusion, Dr. Mihir states that anybody with this condition can always visit The Venkat Center and obtain a consultation from our doctors and to know about the treatment options. To know more visit Venkat Center for Hair, Skin & Plastic Surgery (formerly known as Venkat Charmalaya) is a state-of-the-art center for advanced care in hair transplant, dermatology, liposuction, and plastic surgery in Bangalore, India.
Visit: Here You can do a video consultation or visit our clinic for more info regarding hair transplant surgery or other cosmetic treatments. Contact us on Mobile: +91 7022101689 or drop in a mail to: [email protected] Disclaimer: These videos by Venkat Center for Skin, ENT & Plastic Surgery are intended to provide unbiased scientific information to patients.
The videos are of generic nature and are meant only to provide general information for educational purposes only. They do not serve as a guide for treatment in any individual case. Patients are advised to consult a practicing doctor for specific treatment advice.
