Your surgeon for Pilonidal Sinus
Every procedure is carried out by a consultant-level surgeon.
What is Pilonidal Sinus?
A pilonidal sinus is a small tunnel or cavity that develops in the skin just above the buttock crease, near the tailbone. It usually holds hair, dead skin and debris, and it becomes a problem when it gets infected: pain, swelling, pus or blood discharge, and an abscess that keeps coming back. It is common in people who sit for long hours, sweat a lot or carry extra weight.
It is why the problem keeps returning once a sinus has formed - a tract lined by skin does not close on its own, and trapped hair keeps irritating it, so an abscess that drains with antibiotics tends to refill. Left alone it can branch into several tracts, and each one makes the next operation harder.
Diagnosis is made from the examination itself: the pit or opening is visible at the top of the buttock crease, pressing along it reproduces the pain, and the depth and direction of the tract are mapped. An ultrasound is used when the tract runs deep or branches.
At Primitive Health Care the usual treatment is laser ablation of the sinus tract. A thin fibre is passed into the tract and the laser seals it from inside, so no large cut is made and there is no stitched wound. It takes 30 to 60 minutes, most patients go home the same day, light activity resumes within a few days and complete healing takes two to six weeks.
Illustration only. Your surgeon will explain your own findings.
Pilonidal Sinus treatment at a glance
The essentials, before you read any further.
| Condition | Pilonidal sinus |
|---|---|
| Procedure | Laser ablation of the sinus tract |
| Duration | 30 to 60 minutes |
| Performed by | Senior Surgeon |
| Anaesthesia | Local or general |
| Hospital stay | Same day discharge |
| Back to routine | 2 to 3 days |
Are you experiencing any of these?
If two or more of these sound familiar, it is worth speaking to a surgeon.
- A small pit or opening at the top of the buttock crease
- Pain and swelling near the tailbone, worse when sitting
- Tenderness when you sit down or stand up
- Pus or blood discharge with an unpleasant smell
- Repeated abscesses that come and go
- Redness and heat in the skin over the pit
Talk to our medical adviser for free
No cost for the first consultation and no obligation to book anything.
Laser treatment compared with open surgery
Both are real options. This is how they differ in practice.
| Open surgery | Laser surgery | |
|---|---|---|
| Cuts and incisions | A large cut over the sinus, often left open to heal | A tiny opening for the laser, no large cut |
| Stitches | Many stitches, or the wound left open | None needed |
| Pain afterwards | Significant, needs strong painkillers | Mild, controlled with routine medication |
| Bleeding | More | Minimal |
| Hospital stay | Sometimes two days | Same day discharge |
| Return to work | Two to three weeks | Two to three days |
| Risk of wound infection | Higher, an open wound closing from the outside | Low |
Laser treatment is not right for every patient or every grade of the condition. Your surgeon will tell you honestly if open surgery is the better choice for you.
Why patients choose laser treatment
What actually changes for you, day to day.
No large cuts or stitches
The laser works through a tiny opening, so there is no long cut over the tailbone and no stitched wound to look after.
Same-day discharge
Most patients go home within a few hours of the procedure rather than staying in hospital.
Back to work in days
Light daily activity usually resumes within two to three days instead of two to three weeks.
Less bleeding
The laser seals the small blood vessels as it works, so bleeding during the procedure is minimal.
Lower infection risk
A small sealed wound heals from the inside out, with far less risk of wound infection than a large open one.
Senior surgeons
Your procedure is done by a senior surgeon at Primitive Health Care, with the same team looking after you from consultation to discharge.
What happens on the day
Step by step, so there are no surprises.
-
Consultation and diagnosis
20 to 30 minutes- You meet the surgeon and describe the pain, swelling and discharge
- The examination maps the pit, the tract and any secondary openings
- The surgeon explains laser treatment, the cost and the healing time
-
Admission and preparation
30 to 60 minutes- Registration at the hospital on the day of the procedure
- The area is shaved, cleaned and marked
- Consent is signed and an IV line is started if sedation is used
-
Anaesthesia
10 to 15 minutes- Local or general anaesthesia, decided with your surgeon
- You feel nothing during the procedure
-
The laser procedure
30 to 60 minutes- The pit is opened and the tract is cleaned out
- The laser fibre is moved along the tract and seals it from inside
- The tract collapses, so no large cut and no stitches are needed
- The tiny opening is dressed and closes on its own
-
Recovery and observation
1 to 2 hours- You rest on your side while the area is checked for bleeding
- Pain relief is given before you get up and get dressed
-
Discharge and follow-up
Same day- Most patients go home the same day and walk out normally
- Pain relief, hygiene advice and dressing instructions are given
- Follow-up visits are arranged so the wound heals from the inside out
What will it cost?
The cost depends on the size and number of tracts, whether the area is infected, the type of anaesthesia, the hospital you choose and the operating surgeon. Send your details and a care coordinator will call you with an exact figure. There is no obligation to book.
