Short-term outcomes of endoscopic pilonidal sinus treatment

INTRODUCTION Endoscopic treatment for pilonidal disease was initially described by Meinero in 2013. This minimally invasive technique has both technical and aesthetic advantages. The diagnostic application helps identify the anatomy of the pilonidal disease and the operative phase ablates and cleans the infected cavity. Our aim was to study the short-term outcomes of endoscopic treatment for pilonidal disease and to evaluate complications and recurrence rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prospectively maintained database of all consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic treatment for pilonidal disease by a single surgeon in a district general hospital from 1 November 2014 to 31 March 2018 was analysed. Follow-up was available until 30 September 2018. RESULTS A total of 74 patients (56 men) underwent endoscopic treatment for pilonidal disease. The median age was 21 years (range 16-62 years). All patients underwent the procedure as daycase procedures, seven under local anaesthesia. There were no immediate postoperative complications and no return to theatre or readmission within 90 days. On a median follow-up of 52 weeks (range 2-114 weeks), 57 patients healed completely and 8 lost to follow-up. We achieved primary healing rates of 67% (44/66) and delayed healing rate of 77% (51/66). CONCLUSIONS Endoscopic treatment for pilonidal disease is a safe and effective minimally invasive technique that should be considered as first-line treatment in selected cases of pilonidal sinus disease, thereby reducing morbidity related to conventional procedures.