Talk:Pilonidal cyst

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Contents 1 etymology 2 misinformation 3 Picture for the article 4 treatment

[edit] etymology

It was discussed by Herbert Mayo in 1830.^{[citation needed]} R.M. Hodges was the first to use the phrase "pilonidal cyst" to describe the condition in 1880.

^{[citation needed]}. Someone please provide sources so we can put this text back into the article. --Una Smith 13:49, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] misinformation

I don't want to come in and trash good research, but it seems to me there is some confusion, maybe in the use of certain terminology, or perhaps there needs to be seperate pages for some of the information included. For instance, in saying "The term "pilonidal cyst" can be misleading, as a majority of the time, this is actually an abscess..." perhaps the writer(s) are confusing two things as one. Pilonidal Cysts DO exist. It is a growth at the base of the tailbone. Mostly, the growth is benign and many people who have it may go their entire lifetime without being bothered by it, or even without knowing about it! However, there are those unfortunate souls who do, for whatever reason, experience a Pilonidal abcsess ALONG WITH the cyst. My doctor suggested I had caused minor injury to my tailbone (where there is a cyst)which caused inflammation and infection at the site of the cyst which then became infection and an abcess. Treatment follows for the abcess, which is what causes the pain, not the cyst. The cyst can be removed from the bone surgically, but it can recur. This cyst isn't lanced; the abcess is. To the best of my knowledge, the abcess rarely requires surgery (because it becomes literally impossible to sit long before the abcess can reach such a stage) but, the cyst, being subdermal, does require surgery to remove.Mjoksiglandi 20:09, 10 September 2007 (UTC)

This article is a little unclear, I agree. I think that is largely because in the medical literature there is some confusion between pilonidal cysts and dermoid cysts. A pilonidal cyst is not a tumor; a dermoid cyst is, but often it is a benign one. Another source of confusion is that often no clear distinction is made between a cyst, an abcess, and a sinus. If you feel up to making all this clearer, please go to it! --Una Smith 21:24, 10 September 2007 (UTC) (fixed link --Una Smith 04:18, 15 November 2007 (UTC))

[edit] Picture for the article

I had my pilonidal cyst removed a few weeks ago. Fairly simple procedure, and the nurse showed me the cyst afterwards. Fairly nasty looking!

… and now I realize, I should've taken a camera so I could put a picture up here. D'oh! Oh well. -- Kesh (talk) 18:59, 7 April 2008 (UTC)

I added one. JerryTahl (talk) 06:04, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] treatment

do we have a source for the treatment section? i'm just a little curious because i just had a pilonidal cyst removed last week and was looking for information on recovery times, and when i looked at the treatment section it didn't seem right to me. i have a gauze packing and no one was instructed on how to change the gauze and i was given no instructions on how to do it myself. is this information up to date? or should i be suing for malpractice? maybe it could be more detailed?Killemall22 (talk) 07:15, 6 June 2008 (UTC)

First of all, never consider suing for malpractice because of something you read on the internet. Secondly, did you have it removed, or simply lanced? The difference is if there is a small hole with gauze in it, or if half your butt is missing and covered in gauze. If it's the latter, surely you have a checkup date scheduled with the doctor of hospital. But again, really, ask your doctor first about anything. --Golbez (talk) 03:47, 9 June 2008 (UTC)