Pilonidal cyst surgery experience, anyone??

[SeaSpray]

I'll be taking DS for surgery to remove a pilonidal cyst tomorrow morning. He's already had it lanced and drained a few times, only for it to become abcessed again.

Any tips on how I can make him more comfortable in the coming days and weeks? He'll have a visiting nurse come to change the packing every day, but are there things I can arrange or buy for him, to help him to be more comfortable while he heals? A special pillow to sit on? I'll be off of work tomorrow of course, but will he need me to help him to get around on Tuesday, too? As far as I know, the visiting nurse will only be here to check and change the packing in the wound, not anything else for him.

Thanks!

 

[rkandmjsmommy]

At work we have "wedges" they are triangular foam that helps pts sleep off their back, see if he can get one of those to bring home, if not have pillows to use. Its not too bad of a surgery, good luck

 

[sandramaac]

OMG, my dd had one just removed in March. It started on a Friday, she felt a lump. By Monday she came running down crying there was this goo oozing out. Here the cyst had developed sinus's, the size of pin hole's and it was draining pus, blood and generally other nasty stuff. I was pretty gross. By that afternoon we were at the doctor, the surgeon on Tuesday, and surgery on Friday. We had to really push, because she is a high level competitve figue skater, and the start of the main training season was upon her.

The cyst is far more common in guys. As far as healing, it really depends on how deep and big the cyst is. It also depends on where the sinus's have developed, because they must come out too. Most PC's develop thes sinus's, tiny pin hole size ducts. My dd was lucky because her wasn't too deep or big. The nurse came everyday for 3 weeks, and amazingly she was back on the ice in 8 weeks.The doctor felt one of the things that aided in her quick healing as how healthy she is, and her healthy diet. Most patients have a far longer healing time.

She brought a pillow to school everyday to sit on, and used this gel pad to shield the area she has from skating. The most important thing in this process is keeping the area clean, another factor in fast healing. After the first wound cleaning, which as very painful done at the wound care center the day after the surgery, dd would come home from school, remove the packing and then shower and then the nurse come and clean the wound with saline, and then re-pack the wound.

I have to tell you though, as a former medical editor I went on the online journals to do some reading on the cyst. I then went and looked at photo's from a PC website that talks about healing. I was soooo upset when I saw these photos. A great number of people had long drawn out healing issues. So please keep on top of it.

 

[SeaSpray]

Thanks, rkandmjsmommy and sandramaac. I'll ask at the hospital about the wedge pillows, and I'll be sure to get DS some kind of soft pillow to sit on afterwards.

How many days will he be incapacitated? In other words, needing help to get to and from the bathroom, needing help with meals, etc? Would he be able to do these things for himself by the next day? Just trying to see if I'll need to take off additional time from work. Thanks!

 

[RALIKA]

i had this surgery 5 years ago. I am not the normal person though. I have primary immune deficiency, along with respiratory issues. They cut me all the way to the bone and sewed me back up. They closed it and i later learned it was but to not close it. I was lucky and fell couple weeks after surgery and split it open as it had gotten infected even though i keep it really clean. From then i had it water picked every day and packed for over a year. I have to to steroids every couple months when my breathing crashes and that impedes healing alot. The surgery amazing enough didnt really hurt i didnt really sit for 3-4 days then i was ok. Now when it got infected it hurt. Now when i had the cyst intill they pop omg is it painful. I say you know its going to pop cause you think you cant stand it anymore. I have had 4-5 of the cysts. Mine however where huge. Part of the problem proabley is that my immune system doesnt know to fight them at all. I have gotten 1-3 of them after the surgery years later too. I still have trouble sitting on some surfaces as it gets little uncomfortable. I didnt like the wedge at all to sit on. A pillow was better. Also body pillows were a life saver before and after surgery when you can sit or lay on back. Only so many positions and you get so tired of them fast. If you have any question i be happy to answer them

Rachel

 

[MrsToad]

I had surgery for this many years ago. I spent 3 or 4 days in the hospital, was released, then readmitted 3 weeks later when a follow-up visit found the incision to be infected (the doctor, as with the poster above, had stitched it closed rather than letting it heal from the inside out). I had to have the surgery repeated, spent another 5 days in the hospital, then had a 3rd procedure to stitch the outer edges together. I was treated with silvadene creme, then a zinc ointment to help it further since the last inch or so of the incision had a difficult time closing. That last section split and rehealed several times over several years.

After the initial procedure, a donut pillow and many warm baths were recommended. That donut pillow went with me everywhere for weeks. I hope your son's cyst is on the smaller side and wish him a speedy and uneventful recovery.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Terry, wishng your ds all the best and a quick healing .

 

[scrdofbugs]

Talk with your dr about a wound vac or any brand of negative pressure wound therapy pump. I work for a company that provides them. I see patients of all ages with these type of cyst that have problems for years. It seems that when they have the surgery to remove the cyst and use the wound pump it heals so much faster than with regular wound packings. Also check with your insurance to see if they cover this piece of equipment. It is covered under DME benefits (durable medical equipment).

 

[Jaime4004]

Thanks, rkandmjsmommy and sandramaac. I'll ask at the hospital about the wedge pillows, and I'll be sure to get DS some kind of soft pillow to sit on afterwards.

How many days will he be incapacitated? In other words, needing help to get to and from the bathroom, needing help with meals, etc? Would he be able to do these things for himself by the next day? Just trying to see if I'll need to take off additional time from work. Thanks!

All depends on how large it is, his pain tolerance, etc. Most people are uncomfortable, but can still function fine independently right after (going to bathroom, making meals, etc.) I'm a visiting nurse and pack those puppies all the time... I hope your son heals quickly!

 

[Aimeedyan]

I did not have a good experience, but my healing was coupled with an undiagnosed Crohns disease that significantly slowed healing. I had an open wound for over a year.

There was no sitting for a long time for me. I could sorta sit sideways if I had to get in the car to go somewhere but that was about it. I laid on my belly to sleep or on my side and it wasn't comfortable at all. I returned to classes after about a week but stood in almost all my classes and moved VERY slowly for several weeks. Donuts, wedge pillows, etc were all uncomfortable/painful for me.

I got pretty stir crazy being stuck at home like that. I watched a lot of TV. It was hard to lay on my belly and read anything for very long or even play on the computer. It's a weird angle.

They run in my family; I had the open to let it heal from the inside out operation and it did not heal. We had a 2nd follow up surgery to fix some things and it still didn't heal right. Packing is VERY VERY painful. I did it at home with my DH, no nurse, and twice I literally passed out from the pain and loss of blood. He needs to take a pain pill before the nurse comes so it's in his system. I have a very high pain tolerance (or so my GI tells me!) and this was really brutal for me. My wound was very deep. Let me just say... my DH and I have a very close relationship now

My brother used the wound vac method and it was MUCH more successful and an easier recovery. He was back at work doing physical labor in a matter of days. I was so impressed AND jealous

Mine aren't gone and I still struggle with them.

He needs to boost his immune system as much as possible by eating good healthy foods. He needs to get LOTS of rest. He needs to keep it as clean as humanly possible and stay on top of the pain. It takes time, don't rush it.

Good luck to him.

 

[Crystal0608]

My son was born with a pilonidal cyst. I found out when he was a few weeks old and he had a green bump and I barely scratched it and ooze & blood came out and a hole the size of a pen tip formed. He had to have an MRI & see a specialist as they first thought spina bifida. I was given 2 options, have surgery on a 1 mo old or wait until it flared up & caused pain, usually for men in their 30's. I opted for the later. It looks like a dimple now. Wishing your child the best and hope he's comfy soon!

 

[SeaSpray]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. DS came through the surgery fine, and so far his pain level hasn't been too high. I'm back at work today, and waiting for him to call me after the visiting nurse leaves. He was fairly worried before she came yesterday, since it was the first time that the packing was being changed since the surgery on Monday. But she was very gentle, and on the advice of the ER nurse, he had taken Percoset an hour before the visiting nurse arrived, so that went well, too.

scrdofbugs: I will have DS ask about the wound vac. ANYTHING that can help him to heal quicker/better will be a good thing!

 

[scrdofbugs]

scrdofbugs: I will have DS ask about the wound vac. ANYTHING that can help him to heal quicker/better will be a good thing!

Just let me know if you have any questions about the vac. I wish your son the best healing!!! I, myself, am healing from surgery (hysterectomy) and am dealing with 3 spots that are slow healing. I understand how the next few days/weeks will be.