The gluteal cleft-lift procedure leaves a curvilinear, lazy ‘S’ -shaped scar which extends from the top of one gluteus muscle to the bottom tip of the tailbone. Particularly for males, because we do not recommend depilatory therapy (hair removal) of any kind, we actually encourage full hair growth to obscure the scar. Also, the majority…
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The gluteal cleft-lift at PTCNJ is not painful! Patients will almost universally agree that this curative surgery, although requiring a relatively long incision, brings less pain than a pilonidal abscess occurrence and certainly less pain than the emergency drainage of such an abscess. How is this so? There are 2 factors that explain this phenomenon. One…
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The gluteal cleft-lift procedure is a highly effective cure for tailbone-area pilonidal disease, with reported success rates of 95-100%. According to several landmark reports, the lower the pilonidal disease, i.e. the closer the disease extends to the anus, the more challenging it is for the pilonidal surgeon to deliver this success. This finding extends to…
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A pilonidal cyst is a sac-like pocket beneath the skin that contains hair and debris. The term originates from the Latin words pilus (hair) and nidus (nest), reflecting its composition. These cysts most commonly develop at the bottom tip of the tailbone, in the upper buttock crease, an area known as the gluteal cleft. When…
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Abstract Introduction: The Bascom cleft-lift procedure is a superior approach for treating pilonidal disease. The purpose of this study was to establish healing time after cleft-lift, operative success, and any associated clinical or operative variables. Methods: The study group comprises all patients who underwent cleft-lift procedures at our center between December 2021 and February 2023. Many…
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The skin of the intergluteal cleft is the most inhospitable region to heal a surgical wound. Moisture, bacteria, and friction each contribute. Any pilonidal cystectomy technique that leaves an incision in the unforgiving cleft is potentially morbid. Moreover, the cleft anatomy is the driving force in the disease, and because it is not modified in…
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Emma S. came to PTCNJ with a typical failed pilonidal cystectomy story. She had struggled with pilonidal disease for 12 years, and had finally found a local surgeon to perform a pilonidal cystectomy. It was to be a full removal of the “cyst”, and a midline closure. When in her preoperative meeting, the well-informed Emma…
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Patients with an acute pilonidal abscess need emergency drainage, this is standard. In the preoperative holding area, one of the common questions asked of the surgeon by the patient is “Can’t you just remove the whole cyst now, rather than just lancing it?” It might surprise many that the answer is sometimes yes! A proper…
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In pilonidal disease, the term cyst is somewhat misleading. It suggests that an outer lining or “sac” exists, which it does not. In pilonidal pathology, we may see an impressive tuft of hair embedded under the skin, but no sac containing it. This contrasts with other true cysts that develop in the human body, such…
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The answer is a resounding yes. Traveling to a superspecialist for your pilonidal surgery is highly beneficial and likely critical to your outcome. PTCNJ is the only dedicated pilonidal center in the New York City metropolitan area and one of only 2 such Centers on the East Coast. As such, it offers the services of…
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