Pilonidal Cyst
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Ravikumar Brahmbhatt, MD, FACS
General Surgery and Advanced Robotic Surgery & General Surgery located in Edison, NJ & Jersey City, NJ
If you have an abnormal growth on your backside that’s making it difficult to sit, you might have a pilonidal cyst. Ravikumar Brahmbhatt, MD, FACS at RR Surgical Associates, with offices in Edison and Jersey City, New Jersey, is a general surgeon who can remove your pilonidal cyst. Call the office or schedule an appointment using the online booking button today.
Pilonidal Cyst Q&A
What is a pilonidal cyst?
A pilonidal cyst is pocket of skin that develops when hair punctures and gets embedded in the skin. They usually occur on the tailbone of your backside. It can look like a pit or pore in the skin with a darkened spot.
Pilonidal cysts are more common in men, but you’ll be at greater risk of developing a cyst if you sit for long periods of time.
Doctors theorize that the cyst develops when a loose hair gets caught on your skin and becomes embedded. Your body then treats the hair like a foreign object and forms a cyst.
What are the symptoms of a pilonidal cyst?
Your pilonidal cyst might not cause symptoms unless an abscess has formed, which is when the area around the cyst becomes inflamed and swollen.
Symptoms include:
- Pain
- Redness and swelling around the cyst
- Drainage at the cyst that could be foul-smelling
If you’ve discovered a pilonidal cyst, you should have it examined for treatment.
How are pilonidal cyst treated?
If your pilonidal cyst has turned into an abscess, surgery is your only option. Antibiotics aren’t an effective treatment for this type of an infection.
Initially, Dr. Brahmbhatt will treat your pilonidal cyst by draining it. During the procedure, he first numbs the area, then makes an incision and drains the puss. Dr. Brahmbhatt performs this procedure in the office.
After the procedure, Dr. Brahmbhatt will provide specific instructions on how to care for your incision to prevent infection. Unfortunately, drainage of your pilonidal cyst might not prevent a recurrence.
What can I expect during a pilonidal cystectomy?
If your pilonidal cyst recurs after drainage, Dr. Brahmbhatt will probably recommend a pilonidal cystectomy, which is the removal of your cyst.
Before he begins, Dr. Brahmbhatt administers anesthesia, then removes the cyst and the surrounding tissue and packs the wound with gauze. Sometimes a tube is placed at the site of the incision to help drain away fluid. The tube is later removed.
Dr. Brahmbhatt will provide instructions on how to care for your wound at home and when to come back to the office for follow-up.
For removal of your pilonidal cyst, call RR Surgical Associates or schedule an appointment online.
