Pilonidal Disease Specialist

Robert G Yavrouian, MD, FACS, FASCRS

Colon and Rectal Surgery located in Los Angeles, CA & Glendale, CA

Pilonidal disease affects around 70,000 American adults every year. This disease causes skin irritation, infections, and abscesses in the buttock crease area, often leading to chronic discomfort and frustration. Board-certified colorectal surgeon Robert Yavrouian, MD, offers a unique surgical solution called cleft lift to permanently stop your issues with pilonidal disease. Dr. Robert Yavrouian has two offices: one in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles and one in Glendale, California. For more information, call the office nearest you or book online.

Pilonidal Disease Q & A

What is pilonidal disease?

Pilonidal disease causes one or more cysts in the crease of the buttocks overlying the tailbone. These cysts commonly become inflamed and infected, potentially leading to a pocket of pus called an abscess. You may experience clear, bloody, or foul-smelling drainage from an abscess.

An infected pilonidal cyst is typically red and sore and can cause pain when you’re flat on your back or sitting. You may also experience fever and nausea due to the infection.

What causes pilonidal disease?

The causes of pilonidal disease aren’t certain. It may happen when hairs become trapped in the buttocks crease.

The condition is more common in the following groups.

Men
Teens and adults up to age 40
People who are overweight or obese
People with thick, coarse body hair

In some cases, pilonidal disease may be present from the time of birth.

How is pilonidal disease treated?

Treatment varies with the severity of your pilonidal disease and your specific symptoms.

Nonsurgical treatments

In some cases, you might simply need treatment for the infection and inflammation, such as antibiotics, along with ongoing hair removal in that area.

Incision and drainage

Dr. Yavrouian can make an incision and then drain your abscess during an in-office procedure. But, the abscess can develop again unless you treat the problem surgically.

Surgery: the cleft lift

Dr. Yavrouian offers cleft lift, a unique, advanced procedure for pilonidal disease. With this procedure, he removes diseased tissue from one side of your natal (buttocks) cleft. He frees the skin and fat on the other side of your natal cleft and shifts it over before suturing it closed.

This moves your incision and stitches to the side, in an environment far more conducive to healing. A cleft lift also creates a much shallower natal cleft with dramatically improved air circulation to the area, which decreases the risk of recurring infections.

The cleft lift approach avoids disfiguring scarring, and this type of surgery has a 96.6% success rate. Additionally, a cleft lift has a much lower pilonidal disease recurrence rate than traditional excision surgery.

As one of just a few LA area surgeons who specializes in cleft lift surgery for pilonidal disease, Dr. Robert Yavrouian provides compassionate care with superior surgical precision. To receive treatment for pilonidal disease, click the online scheduling tool or call the office nearest you.

What we offer