Stitch or leave open? trial tests best way to heal painful tailbone cysts
NCT ID NCT07311707
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares two surgical methods for treating pilonidal sinus disease, a painful condition near the tailbone. Sixty adults aged 20 to 50 will be randomly assigned to have the wound stitched closed right after surgery or left open to heal naturally. Researchers will track how fast each group heals and check for infections or return of the sinus over 12 weeks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Surgical procedure (primary closure or open wound management)
- What this could lead to
- If one technique proves better, it could guide surgeons to choose the method that leads to faster healing and fewer complications for patients with pilonidal sinus disease.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-center study with only 60 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Both techniques have known risks like infection or recurrence.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
60 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jul 2023
- Finished
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Dec 2023
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
20 to 50 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Male and female patients aged 20 to 50 years. Clinically diagnosed with pilonidal sinus (persistent painful discharging wound in the buttock cleft for more than eight weeks, VAS \>4). Patients willing to provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Pilonidal sinus located away from the midline coccyx. Presence of abscess formation. Patients with underlying conditions affecting wound healing (e.g., diabetes mellitus). Recurrent pilonidal sinus.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Wasim Khan
Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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