Hernia surgery in Huntsville, Alabama
PILONIDAL CYSTECTOMY
A pilonidal cyst forms at the top of the buttocks crease and often becomes infected and painful, especially with repeated flare-ups. Dr. Mailapur removes the cyst surgically when it keeps coming back, since recurring infections rarely resolve without treatment. It's an outpatient procedure, and recovery depends on how the wound is closed.
What a Pilonidal Cyst Is
A pilonidal cyst develops at the top of the buttocks crease, often starting when a hair becomes trapped under the skin and triggers an inflammatory reaction. The result is a pocket, or cyst, that can fill with fluid or pus and become a recurring source of pain and infection. They're more common in young men, people who sit for long periods, and people with a lot of body hair in that area.
Why These Keep Coming Back
A pilonidal cyst that's drained without removing the underlying tract often returns, sometimes within weeks or months. Each flare-up tends to follow the same pattern: pain and swelling that build over a few days, sometimes with drainage, followed by relief once it's drained, then recurrence later. Patients who've been through this cycle more than once or twice are usually better served by surgical removal than by repeated drainage alone.
How Removal Works
We remove the cyst and the surrounding tract of inflamed tissue in an outpatient procedure. Depending on the size and depth of the cyst, the wound may be closed with sutures or left open to heal gradually with regular wound care, which we'll walk you through in detail before you leave. An open wound takes longer to heal but tends to have a lower recurrence rate than one closed immediately.
Most patients are back to normal daily activity within a week or two, with full healing taking longer if the wound was left open.