Role of simple V-Y advancement flap in the treatment of complicated pilonidal sinus

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate our short term results of simple V-Y advancement flap for complicated pilonidal sinus. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Yüzüncü Yýl University hospital, Van, Turkey. SUBJECTS: 23 patients aged 19-47 (mean 31) years with complicated pilonidal sinus treated between October 1994 and December 1996, of whom 9 had had previous operations for pilonidal sinus. INTERVENTIONS: Bilateral V-Y-plasty to close the defect after wide excision (n = 7), and unilateral V-Y-plasty (n = 16) were performed under spinal anaesthesia. RESULTS: There were no complications during the operation. There were 4 minor complications (17%) consisted of seroma (n = 2) and severe wound pain, and wound infection (n = 1 each). All patients were discharged within 10 days of operation and returned to work within 3 weeks. The mean follow up was 18 months (range 10-25) and no recurrences have occurred so far. CONCLUSIONS: Simple V-Y advancement flap may prove to be useful in patients with recurrent and complicated pilonidal sinuses.