Background: To compare therapeutic values of incision and drainage, with skin excision and curettage in surgical treatment of the patients with acute pilonidal abscess.
Methods: In this prospective study, patients with acute pilonidal abscess were divided into two groups. The first group of patients were treated with incision and drainage and the second with skin excision and curettage. Two treatment modalities were compared in terms of healing time, time of returning to active work and development of chronic pilonidal sinus rates with chi-square and student-t test.
Results: Development of chronic pilonidal sinus rate was 76% in incision and drainage group and 24% in skin excision and curettage group (p<0.001). Healing time and time of returning to active work were 27 and 35 days in skin excision and curettage group, 19 and 26 days in incision and drainage group, respectively (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Skin excision and curettage, which is associated with lower rates of development of chronic pilonidal sinus, may be the treatment of choice in acute pilonidal abscess.