Treatment of the pilonidal disease: experience with the Karydakis flap

Abstract

The classic methods for the treatment of pilonidal disease have been questioned by the discomfort and degree of inability they impose on patients. Primary closure with a flap procedure allows for a reduction of healing time, post operative pain, inability and recurrence rate. Of all flap procedures, the one described by Karydakis is one of least technically demanding and with a shorter learning curve. A retrospective study was elaborated based on hospital records for all patients with chronic pilonidal disease, who underwent surgical treatment with the Karydakis flap in the General Surgery Department I – Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental, between February 2004 and June 2007, 99 patients with chronic pilonidal disease were operated upon. It was possible to obtain from the revision of the clinical records: a recurrence rate of 6%, a mean healing time of 17 days and a minor wound complication rate of 14%.

These results are in accordance with the published literature, validating this technique in our institution.