A Closed Excision Surgery Experience

I first noticed (or rather my girlfriend did) a cyst on my butt a year or so ago. I thought it was a growth that would just go away. It did not, and instead grew a little bit. It was never painful, nor did I develop sinuses nor did it drain.

I finally got fed up with having a lump on my butt and went to a doctor to have it removed. I thought I would be able to have it cut out on the spot. I had no idea what it was. He looked at it and said he was referring me to a surgeon.

I made the appointment and saw him the next week. That was the first time I heard the word "Pilonidal." We scheduled surgery for about a week later and after I went home to research it I was shocked and scared. I called the surgeon (worried about recurrence, the open surgery, etc). He calmed me down and explained that he was going to close the wound and that mine appeared to be well contained and was relatively small. Both doctors found it hard to believe that it was not painful.  The surgeon said it should be removed as eventually it would get bad. I was told
not to go on vacation for two weeks after surgery - he wanted to see me for that period.

I went in for surgery August 5, 2004. The IV insertion was the worst part of the day. After that I was wheeled to the OR floor and met the anesthesiologist. I refused to get a spinal/epidural as I had one once for hip surgery and found it quite unpleasant. (Bladder was never the same afterwards and I am not that flexible and didn't like the puncturing of the spinal fluid sac) The surgeon agreed that we would do a local with some kind of sedative/narcotic.

They wheeled me into the OR, took the gown off and flopped me over onto my stomach.  Got comfy, had a thermometer in my mouth and had my butt area shaved. Then the drugs were put in the IV - felt really light headed and good, then apparently they started the local anesthetic followed immediately by the surgery. It took about 20 minutes I think. I felt awake the whole time but was probably "sleeping." I was aware of poking on my butt, but was dreaming or something. I woke up and they asked me how I was - I replied that I was fine.

I went to the recovery room. Bandages were checked a few times and peeing into a bottle in a bed was not too easy after 34 years of training not to do it. No pain at all from the surgery so far.

I bled through the bandages, into my gown and told the nurse about it as I was being released. She added bandages. The blood was not leaking through, rather dripping down the crack and then into the clothes. I had no pain until later that day and I took some of the good pills prescribed. I remember that walking and sitting was very awkward with the stitches and the bandages for the first day. Mostly I took the pills to help sleep - very little pain from surgery.

Pooping was a little challenging with the bandages on. I did it as best as I could. The top of the cleft was taped together.

I was told I could remove the bandages the next day, which I did. I was also told no shower until the following day. Ripping the tape off was very painful - all them hairs... I tried looking at the wound but it was all nasty with blood and covered with some kind of tape. I washed back there as gently as I could, as I wanted to keep clean and avoid infection. I took the pills for the first few days to sleep.  I stayed out of work for 3 days.

The scar was quite long (2 inches maybe) - longer than I expected for just a grape-sized lump. I forgot to ask the surgeon how big the stuff was and how much he removed, but he did say it was well-contained and was simple to do. He had high hopes for problem free recovery.

I returned 5-6 days after surgery to check progress. He replaced the tape over the wound and told me it was healing very nicely and that I would not need to see him again. I kept asking about riding a bike and he insisted that I should stay off it for two weeks. Not wanting a recurrence or other issues, I followed orders.

I started putting vitamin e on the scar after a week and did that for about a week. Then stopped. I have not had any problems so far. The scar is a bit raised and rough.

I am thankful that I have been ok so far and that closed was an option for me.

Note again, I never experienced pain, draining or infection. I had only a cyst, no sinuses.

Best wishes to you all.

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