Pilonidal Sinus Management Using 980 nm Diode Laser

Background: Pilonidal sinus is a chronic, debilitating disease of the natal cleft. It mainly involves the sacrococcygeal region and the presentation varies from asymptomatic pits to painful abscesses or sinuses. Treatment options vary from observation to wide excision. Unfortunately, surgical treatment may result in recurrence. Many conservative methods had being described for treatment of pilonidal sinus, photocoagulation using laser is one of them.The aim of study: To assess the efficacy of laser (diode) as a therapy to the pilonidal sinus.Design: A cohort of five patients with a provisional diagnosis of  pilonidal sinus (unbranched) were treated by photocoagulation of sinus tract by diode laser 980 nm, between 17 and 25 year old (20.6±2.58), were diagnosed clinically and by sinogram to know the exact length of the tract and to exclude branching tract. The average length of the tracts were (5 cm) ranging (3-7) cm. Only one patient had recurrent sinus after surgical excision.Result: The mean operative time was (10.10) min. (range of 6.10-14.10 min.). All patient were seen the day after the procedure and then weekly, only one patient had pus discharge at day nine and was treated with ciprofloxacin and metronidazole for ten days and tract closed after 21 days of the procedure. The average time for closure was (10.4) day ranging (6-21).conclusion: Diode laser as a surgical tools in the treatment of pilonidal sinus offers the following benefits: Reducing hospital stay, minimizing tissue assault by avoiding unduly extensive procedures with the attendant complications, early resumption of work by the patient and preventing recurrence of the disease. Keywords: pilonidal, diode 980nm, diode lase

Study of the effect of age, gender and seasonal variation on appendicitis in Azizyah-Iraq

Appendicitis is the most common acute surgical condition of the abdomen. The rate of acute appendicitis varies among countries. Declining rates of acute appendicitis have been reported in the United States and Europe. However, the frequency appears to be increasing in the developing countries. Age, gender and seasonal variations of acute appendicitis have been observed in many studies, but the reasons for these variations are not clear. Although acute appendicitis is a common surgical condition, little is known about its epidemiology in Iraq. Statistical analysis was done for 400 patients diagnosed as cases of appendicitis during a two year period from January 2013 to December 2014, treated in Azizyah hospital. Data were analyzed for age, sex, and season (month of admission).A total of 400 patients were diagnosed as cases of appendicitis. Appendicitis was more common in males (n=224, 56%) than females (n=176, 44%) with male to female ratio of 1.27:1, Highest rates of appendicitis was found in the age group of 10 to 19 years (n=158, 39.5%) and the lowest was 50 and more (n=11, 2.75%). Acute appendicitis high incident in November and December and lowest in June and July but it was high in March and April in teenage group.In the current study clear differences in the frequencies of appendicitis were noted the appendicitis has clear seasonality with highest rates in winter and spring season. Appendicitis rates were found to be higher in male gender than female. The prevalence peaks in teen age grou