A minimally invasive pilonidal protocol improves quality of life in adolescents
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Read the article on pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗Article · Dec 2021 · 1 min read
In brief
In brief
Prospective study of 74 adolescent pilonidal disease patients demonstrates that minimally invasive treatment protocols rapidly improve quality of life, with mild cases resolving by second visit and severe cases showing 88% improvement by fourth visit. Findings support early minimally invasive intervention over traditional surgical approaches in this population.
Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.
Background: Pilonidal disease adversely affects the quality of life (QoL) of adolescents with this condition. We report the impact of minimally invasive care on the QoL of a series of adolescent patients in a dedicated Pilonidal Care Clinic.
Methods: Beginning in February 2019, all patients completed QoL surveys prior to each visit reporting current symptoms and their QoL impact. Data were collected prospectively with objective disease severity and treatment details. Patients with at least 2 clinic visits were included. Demographics, procedures performed, and median QoL scores by severity were analyzed.
Results: 74 patients were included. Mean age was 17.3 years (SD 2.4), mean BMI was 27.5 (SD 6.2), median follow-up duration was 4 months (2-12). At intake patients reported a median total QoL impact of 12 for those with mild disease, 11 for those with moderate disease, and 12 with severe disease. Median total QoL impact resolved by the second visit for patients with mild disease, the third for moderate disease, and decreased 88% by the fourth visit for patients with severe disease.
Conclusion: Pilonidal disease has a profound impact on most patients' quality of life. Minimally invasive care promptly resolves negative impacts on quality of life in adolescents.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2020.11.012