Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

History and General Information on Pilonidal Cysts and Sinuses

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Biofilm, Pilonidal Cysts and Sinuses

Part of the book series: Recent Clinical Techniques, Results, and Research in Wounds ((RCTRRW,volume 1))

Abstract

Pilonidal disorders such as cyst, abscess, and sinus are not uncommon. The history will provide the thoughts of pilonidal disease in the 1800s. The symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment are discussed in general terms. Recurrence after surgery does occur. The author’s manner of treatment is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Mayo H (1833) Observations on injuries and diseases of the rectum. Burgess and Hill, London, pp 102–122

    Google Scholar 

  2. Hodges RM (1880) Pilo-nidal sinus. Boston Med Surg J 2:485–544

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ecker A(1879) The vertex coccygea the glabella coccygea and the fovea coccygea. Archiv fur Anthropologie, Bd XII

    Google Scholar 

  4. Tail-Like Formations in Man: After the Researches of Dr. Bartels, Prof. Ecker, Dr. Mohnike, Dr. Ornstein, and Others (1892) Popular Science Monthly. 347–60

    Google Scholar 

  5. McFadden Gaston J (1894) Treatment of anal fistula. JAMA 23:60–72

    Google Scholar 

  6. Somers GR (1894) Treatment of anal fistula. JAMA 23:72–73

    Google Scholar 

  7. Schwartz SI, Shires GT, Spencer FC, Daley JM, Fischer JE, Galloway AC (1998) Principles of surgery, 7th edn. McGraw Hill Co. Inc., New York, p 373

    Google Scholar 

  8. Mallory FB (1892) Sacroccygeal dimples, sinuses and cysts. Am J Med Sci 103:263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. da Silva JH (2000) Pilonidal cyst: cause and treatment. Dis Colon Rectum 43(8):1146–1156

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Weale FE (1955) The hair of the pilonidal sinus. Lancet 268(6857):230–231

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Weale FE (1964) A comparison of barber’s and postanal pilonidal sinuses. Br J Surg 51:513–516

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Patey DH, Scarff RW (1946) Pathology of postanal pilonidal sinus; its bearing on treatment. Lancet 2(6423):484–486

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Patey DH, Scarff RW (1948) Pilonidal sinus in a barber’s hand with observations on postanal pilonidal sinus. Lancet 2(6514):13

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. King ES (1946) The nature of the pilonidal sinus. Aust N Z J Surg 16:182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Bascom J (1980) Pilonidal disease: origin from follicles of hairs and results of follicle removal as treatment. Surgery 87(5):567–572

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Karydakis GE (1973) New approach to the problem of pilonidal sinus. Lancet 2(7843):1414–1415

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Karydakis GE (1992) Easy and successful treatment of pilonidal sinus after explanation of its causative process. Aust N Z J Surg 62:385–389

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Poggio JL. Fistula-in-ano. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/190234-overview. Accessed 31 Aug 2016

  19. Stescobich D, Gárriz RA, Donadío R (1967) Neoplastic degeneration of the sacrococcygeal dermoid cyst. Prensa Med Argent 54(11):516–517

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Pantoja E, Rodriguez-Ibanez I (1976) Sacrococcygeal dermoids and teratomas: historical review. Am J Surg 132(3):377–383

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Hess K (1890) Ueber eine subcutane flimmerzyste. Beitr Pathol 8:98–109

    Google Scholar 

  22. Farmer ER, Helwig EB (1978) Cutaneous ciliated cyst. Arch Dermatol 114:70–73

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Lee JS, Kim YC, Lee ES (2006) Cutaneous ciliated cyst of the inguinal area in a man. J Dermatol (2):146–149

    Google Scholar 

  24. JS O, Bhalla VK, Needham L, Sharma S, Pipkin WL, Hatley RM, Howell CG (2014) Müllerian-type, cutaneous ciliated cyst in the gluteal cleft mimicking a pilonidal cyst. Pediatr Surg Int 30(5):545–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Odili J, Gault D (2002) Laser depilation of the natal cleft—an aid to healing the pilonidal sinus. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 84(1):29–32

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Beck D, Beck DE (2013) Handbook of colorectal surgery, 3rd edn. JP Medical Publishers, London, pp 357–368

    Book  Google Scholar 

  27. Biegeleisen HI (1939) Sclerotherapy for pilonidal cyst. Am J Surg 44(3):622–625

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. McGuinness JG, Winter DC, O’Connell PR (2003) Vacuum-assisted closure of a complex pilonidal sinus. Dis Colon Rectum 46(2):274–276

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Lynch JB, Laing AJ, Regan PJ (2004) Vacuum-assisted closure therapy: a new treatment option for recurrent pilonidal sinus disease. Report of three cases. Dis Colon Rectum 47(6):929–932

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Banasiewicz T, Bobkiewicz A, Borejsza-Wysocki M, Biczysko M, Ratajczak A, Malinger S, Drews M (2013) Portable VAC therapy improve the results of the treatment of the pilonidal sinus—randomized prospective study. Pol Przegl Chir 85(7):371–376

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Limberg AA (1946) Mathematical principles of local plastic procedures on the surface of the human body. Medgis, Leningrad

    Google Scholar 

  32. Bozkurt MK, Tezel E (1998) Management of pilonidal sinus with the Limberg flap. Dis Colon Rectum 41(6):775–777

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Erdem E, Sungurtekin U, Nessar M (1998) Are postoperative drains necessary with the Limberg flap for treatment of pilonidal sinus? Dis Colon Rectum 41(11):1427–1431

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Kapan M, Kapan S, Pekmezci S, Durgun V (2002) Sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease with Limberg flap repair. Tech Coloproctol 6(1):27–32

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Urhan MK, Kucukel F, Topgul K, Ozer I, Sari S (2002) Rhomboid excision and Limberg flap for managing pilonidal sinus: results of 102 cases. Dis Colon Rectum 45(5):656–659

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Akca T, Colak T, Ustunsoy B, Kanik A, Aydin S (2005) Randomised clinical trial comparing primary closure with the Limberg flap in the treatment of primary sacrococygeal pilonidal disease. Br J Surg 92(9):1081–1084

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Katsoulis IE, Hibberts F, Carapeti EA (2006) Outcome of treatment of primary and recurrent pilonidal sinuses with the Limberg flap. Surgeon 4(1):7–10, 62

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Akin M, Gokbayir H, Kilic K, Topgul K, Ozdemir E, Ferahkose Z (2008) Rhomboid excision and Limberg flap for managing pilonidal sinus: long-term results in 411 patients. Colorectal Dis 10(9):945–948

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Jamal A, Shamim M, Hashmi F, Qureshi MI (2009) Open excision with secondary healing versus rhomboid excision with Limberg transposition flap in the management of sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease. J Pak Med Assoc 59(3):157–160

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Aithal SK, Rajan CS, Reddy N (2013) Limberg flap for sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus a safe and sound procedure. Indian J Surg 75(4):298–301

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Bali İ, Aziret M, Sözen S, Emir S, Erdem H, Çetinkünar S, İrkörücü O (2015) Effectiveness of Limberg and Karydakis flap in recurrent pilonidal sinus disease. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 70(5):350–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Berkem H, Topaloglus S, Ozel H, Avsar FM, Yildiz Y, Yuksel BC, Hengirmen S, Akyurek N (2005) V-Y advancement flap closures for complicated pilonidal sinus disease. Int J Colorectal Dis 20:343–348

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Chauhan N. Kshara Sutra therapy in the treatment of pilonidal sinus. http://ayurvedapilescure.com/blog/kshara-sutra-therapy-in-the-treatment-of-pilonidal-sinus. Accessed 31 Aug 2016

  44. Surrell JA (1994) Pilonidal disease. Surg Clin North Am 74:1309–1315

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Hull TL, Wu J (2002) Pilonidal disease. Surg Clin North Am 82(6):1169–1185

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Puckett CL, Silver D (1973) Carcinoma developing in pilonidal sinus: report of two cases and review of the literature. Am Surg 39(3):151–155

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Nostri R et al (1937) An de Chir 3:216

    Google Scholar 

  48. Schubert H (1939) Kazinomatose Entartung von Steissdermoiden. Zentrabl Chir 66:2098

    Google Scholar 

  49. Baroldi A (1942) Degeneracion cancerosa de un Quiste Sacro-Coxigo. Bol Soc Cir Rosario 9:103

    Google Scholar 

  50. Vera-Lopez R (1947) Dos casos de epithelioma de la region sacro-coxigea consequintivos a un quiste pilonidal y a un teratoma presacro. Rev Clin Esp 24:367

    Google Scholar 

  51. Hall A, Lee JG (1956) Squamous-cell carcinoma complicating a pilonidal sinus. Cancer 9(4):760–762

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Hayden EP (1956) Medical progress: Proctology. N Engl J Med 255:854–860

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Matt JG (1958) Carcinomatous degeneration of pilonidal cysts. Dis Colon Rectum 1(5):353–355

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Terry JL, Gaisford JC, Hanna DC (1961) Pilonidal sinus carcinoma. Am J Surg 102:465–469

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Hibner R, Cohn R (1959) Squamous cell carcinoma arising in pilonidal sinus: report of two cases. Stanford Med Bull 17:198–203

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Weinstein M, Roberts M, Reynolds B (1959) Pilonidal sinus carcinoma. JAMA 170(12):1394–1395

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Conole FD (1961) Wide excision and primary closure in pilonidal disease: report of a case complicated by squamous cell carcinoma. Dis Colon Rectum 4:435–438

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Boukalik WF, Salwan FA (1962) Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a pilonidal sinus: case report. Ann Surg 156:157–160

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  59. Cleveland BR, Green WO Jr (1964) Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a pilonidal sinus. Surgery 55:381–386

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Gaston EA, Wilde WL (1965) Epidermoid carcinoma arising in a pilonidal sinus. Dis Colon Rectum 8(5):343–348

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Brown HW, Rivera J (1968) Epidermoid carcinoma arising in a pilonidal sinus. Report of a case and review of the literature. Int Surg 50(5):435–440

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Yamada M, Osaka S (1972) Case of squamous cell carcinoma arising in pilonidal cyst (sinus) or pyodermia chronica abscedens et suffodiens. Nihon Hifuka Gakkai Zasshi 82(5):307–312

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Lerner HJ, Deitrick G (1979) Squamous-cell carcinoma of the pilonidal sinus: report of a case and review of the literature. J Surg Oncol 11(2):177–183

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Pilipshen SJ, Gray G, Goldsmith E, Dineen P (1981) Carcinoma arising in pilonidal sinuses. Ann Surg 193(4):506–512

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  65. Gupta S, Kumar A, Khanna AK, Khanna S (1981) Pilonidal sinus epidermoid carcinoma: a clincopathologic study and a collective review. Curr Surg 38(6):374–381

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Jamieson NV, Goode TB (1982) Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a pilonidal sinus presenting with the formation of an abscess. Postgrad Med J 58(685):720–721

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  67. Sagi A, Rosenberg L, Greiff M, Mahler D (1984) Squamous-cell carcinoma arising in a pilonidal sinus: a case report and review of the literature. J Dermatol Surg Oncol 10(3):210–212

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Lineaweaver WC, Brunson MB, Smith JF, Franzini DA, Rumley TO (1984) Squamous carcinoma arising in a pilonidal sinus. J Surg Oncol 27(4):239–242

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Bark T, Wilking N (1986) Squamous-cell carcinoma in a pilonidal sinus. Case report. Acta Chir Scand 152:703–704

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Adámek J, Antos F, Zeman V (1990) Spinocellular carcinoma as a rare complication in pilonidal cyst. Rozhl Chir 69(3):139–143

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Jeddy TA, Vowles RH, Southam JA (1994) Squamous cell carcinoma in a chronic pilonidal sinus. Br J Clin Pract 48(3):160–161

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Kulaylat MN, Gong M, Doerr RJ (1996) Multimodality treatment of squamous cell carcinoma complicating pilonidal disease. Am Surg 62(11):922–929

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Bassam Abboud B, Ingea H (1999) Recurrent squamous-cell carcinoma arising in sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus tract: report of a case and review of the literature. Dis Colon Rectum 42(4):525–528

    Article  Google Scholar 

  74. Williamson JD, Silverman JF, Tafra L (1999) Fine-needle aspiration cytology of metastatic squamous-cell carcinoma arising in a pilonidal sinus, with literature review. Diagn Cytopathol 20(6):367–370

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Borges VF, Keating JT, Nasser IA, Cooley TP, Greenberg HL, Dezube BJ (2001) Clinicopathologic characterization of squamous-cell carcinoma arising from pilonidal disease in association with condylomata acuminatum in HIV-infected patients: report of two cases. Dis Colon Rectum 44(12):1873–1877

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Adanali G, Senen D, Tuncel A, Ibrahimoglu D, Erdogan B (2002) Squamous cell carcinoma developing in a pilonidal sinus. Plast Reconstr Surg 110(5):1367–1368

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Atmatzidis K, Pavlidis T, Papaziogas B, Psaralexis K, Papaziogas T (2002) Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a neglected pilonidal sinus. Int J Colorectal Dis 17(2):129–130

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Agir H, Sen C, Cek D (2006) Squamous cell carcinoma arising adjacent to a recurrent pilonidal disease. Dermatol Surg 32(9):1174–1175

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Kovacevic P, Visnjic M, Vukadinovic M, Kovacevic T, Mihajlovic D (2007) Carcinoma arising in pilonidal disease –report of two cases. Med Biol 14(3):133–137

    Google Scholar 

  80. Malek MM, Emanuel PO, Divino CM (2007) Malignant degeneration of pilonidal disease in an immunosuppressed patient: report of a case and review of the literature. Dis Colon Rectum 50(9):1475–1477

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Mentes O, Akbulut M, Bagci M (2008) Verrucous carcinoma (Buschke-Lowenstein) arising in a sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus tract: report of a case. Langenbecks Arch Surg 393(1):111–114

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Antonio Martino A, De Martino C, Pisapia A, Maharajan G, Evangelista M (2011) Squamous-cell carcinoma arising in a pilonidal sinus: case report and review of the literature. BMC Geriatr 11(Suppl 1):A28

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  83. Nunes LF, Castro Neto AK, Vasconcelos RA, Cajaraville F, Castilho J, Rezende JF, Noguera WS (2013) Carcinomatous degeneration of pilonidal cyst with sacrum destruction and invasion of the rectum. An Bras Dermatol 88(6 Suppl 1):59–62

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  84. Goyal S, Goyal S, Garg M (2013) Malignancy in pilonidal disease: uncommon occurrence. Clin Cancer Investig J 2:153–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  85. Eryılmaz R, Bilecik T, Okan I, Özkan OV, Çoşkun A, Şahin M (2014) Recurrent squamous cell carcinoma arising in a neglected pilonidal sinus: report of a case and literature review. Int J Clin Exp Med 7(2):446–450

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  86. Pandey MK, Gupta P, Khanna AK (2014) Squamous cell carcinoma arising from pilonidal sinus. Int Wound J 11(4):354–356

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  87. Cruz-Mendoza I, Hernández-Jesús B, López-Pérez E, Flores-Cobos AE, García-Rodríguez F (2014) Moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma associated pilonidal cyst. Cir Cir 82(1):87–92

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  88. Koyfman A. Pilonidal cyst and sinus. http://emediciine.medscape.com/article/788127-followup. Accessed 31 Aug 2016

  89. Goldman H, Kalow I (1940) Pilonidal cyst complicated by basal cell epithelioma. Bull Hosp Joint Dis 1:89

    Google Scholar 

  90. Marjani MA (1967) Basal cell epithelioma complicating a pilonidal sinus. Conn Med 31(2):106–108

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  91. Rubin Z, Weinstein M, Hyman AB (1968) Basal cell epithelioma arising in a pilonidal sinus. Arch Dermatol 98(3):277–281

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  92. Denning JS, Frederick JF, Gold D, Poth EJ (1954) Pilonidal disease; review of literature and a method of closure. Am Surgeon 20:1250–1257

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  93. Pekmezci S, Hiz M, Saribeyoglu K, Akbilen D, Kapan M, Nasirov C, Taşçi H. Malignant degeneration: an unusual complication of pilonidal sinus disease. Acta Chirurgica 2001;7:26. http://www.biowebspin.com/pubadvanced/article/11471678/#sthash.n5gB5XuQ.fqNxdafQ.dpuf. Accessed 6 Oct 2016

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 17501 Chatham Drive, Tustin, CA, 92780-2302, USA

    Melvin A. Shiffman M.D., J.D.

Authors
  1. Melvin A. Shiffman M.D., J.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melvin A. Shiffman M.D., J.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Tustin, CA, USA

    Melvin A. Shiffman

  2. Newport Beach, CA, USA

    Mervin Low

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Shiffman, M.A. (2017). History and General Information on Pilonidal Cysts and Sinuses. In: Shiffman, M., Low, M. (eds) Biofilm, Pilonidal Cysts and Sinuses. Recent Clinical Techniques, Results, and Research in Wounds, vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/15695_2017_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/15695_2017_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-03076-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-03077-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation