ARE POSTOPERATIVE DRAINS NECESSARY WITH THE LIMBERG FLAP FOR TREATMENT OF PILONIDAL-SINUS

PURPOSE: Different methods for managing pilonidal sinus have been desc ribed in the literature. Our purpose was to evaluate the influence of postoperative drainage in Limberg flaps. METHODS: Forty patients with pilonidal sinus undergoing radical excision and reconstruction with Li mberg flap between 1994 and 1996 were evaluated prospectively. After p atients were assigned randomly to the two groups, the effects of drain s were studied statistically in terms of wound complications, hospital stay, and recurrence rate. RESULTS: Except for two minor transient wo und dehiscences, in all cases primary healing was achieved. Early woun d complication rate was 7.5 percent and recurrence rate was 2.5 percen t for both groups. There was no significant difference between the gro ups in early wound complications (P > 0.05). The length of hospital st ay was significantly longer in the drainage group (P < 0.001). CONCLUS ION: We conclude that Limberg flaps with no drains in place will resul t in shorter hospital stays without deleteriously affecting the surgic al results of wide excision and primary closure with welt-vascularized tissue.