Pilonidal CystPILONCT06378918
Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Simple Puncture Compared to the Incision of an Abscess on the piLOnidal Sinus
A study testing puncture and incision of the abscess in people with Pilonidal Cyst, run by University Hospital, Angers at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
Pilonidal disease is a common disease characterized by the presence of abscess in the intergluteal groove. During periods of abscess, current recommendations are to make a simple incision with daily wicking of the abscess. Direct excision at this time is not recommended because there is a risk of incomplete excision. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Pilonidal Cyst
- What is being tested?
- puncture and incision of the abscess
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 5 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 20 Mar 2025to 16 Jan 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adult patients with a pilonidal sinus abscess
- Surgical indication for flattening the abscess
- Recurrent or de novo abscess
- Signature of consent to participate in the study
Who cannot join
- Skin necrosis
- Immunosuppression (drug-related or pathological) or diabetes
- Spontaneous fistulization
- Patients who do not speak French
- Pregnant and/or breastfeeding women
- Patients without social security coverage
Show all 10Show fewer
- Person deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision
- Person subject to psychiatric care under duress
- Person subject to a legal protection measure
- Person unable to express consent
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: PILO - Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Simple Puncture Compared to the Incision of an Abscess on the piLOnidal Sinus
Pilonidal disease is a common disease characterized by the presence of abscess in the intergluteal groove. During periods of abscess, current recommendations are to make a simple incision with daily wicking of the abscess. Direct excision at this time is not recommended because there is a risk of incomplete excision. The principle of directed healing after incision of the abscess results in an average dressing period of 21 days. A definitive resection is recommended after 4 to 6 weeks, when healing has been achieved, in order to limit the risk of infectious recurrence.
An alternative has recently been proposed, consisting of a puncture of the abscess, aimed at emptying it under antibiotic coverage. The major advantage of this treatment is that patients no longer need general anesthesia to flatten the abscess. Although this technique is promising, it is currently not the subject of any published or ongoing randomized controlled study registered on Clinicaltrials.gov.
The research hypothesis is that the two techniques have the same results in terms of recurrence before definitive surgical treatment but that drainage puncture would imply a faster healing time, a lower cost of treatment, a quality of superior support, reduced support time and reduced work stoppage.
Read the detailed description
This is a single-center, prospective, open-label, randomized study. Patients are screened and included during the emergency room consultation or a scheduled consultation. After verification of the selection criteria and provision of clear, fair and appropriate information, patients are offered to participate in the study. If they accept, consent is signed and randomization is carried out.
The procedure under study is puncture/aspiration. Local anesthesia is previously carried out with 2-5 cc of 1% lidocaine. The puncture is then carried out using a 16 gauge needle. Antibiotic coverage will be offered. A work stoppage is recommended until the day after the puncture/aspiration but the duration is left to the discretion of the surgeon. The patient is systematically reviewed 15 days after the puncture/aspiration with a recommendation for earlier consultation in the event of persistence of redness, discharge, pain or onset of fever. If these symptoms recur or persist, it is recommended to make an incision with packing. In the event of fistulization following the puncture, associated with discharge and skin necrosis, local nursing care is recommended. The definitive resection procedure is then planned 4 to 6 weeks after the puncture/aspiration if the evolution is favorable.
The gold standard procedure is incision of the abscess. This is carried out according to the habits of the department: in the operating room under general or local anesthesia or in consultation (or emergencies) under local anesthesia. The procedure is carried out on an outpatient basis but, if necessary, short-term hospitalization is carried out. Daily wicking is then carried out with nursing care at home until healing. A work stoppage is recommended for a period of approximately 10 days. The patient is systematically reviewed at 15 days with a recommendation for earlier consultation in the event of persistence of redness, discharge, pain or onset of fever. If these symptoms recur or persist, it is recommended to make an incision with packing. The definitive resection procedure is then planned 4 to 6 weeks after the initial operation if the evolution is favorable.
The definitive resection procedure is carried out after the flattening of the abscess has healed. It is recommended to perform resection without closure with nursing-care healing at home with daily packings for 15 days. After the 15-day visit, changing the dressings by wicking is recommended daily until healing.
- Conditions
- Pilonidal Cyst
- Being tested
- puncture, incision of the abscess
- Keywords
- Pilonidal Cyst, abcess, puncture, incision, intergluteal groove
- Medical subject headings
- Pilonidal Sinus, Surgical Wound
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
punctureProcedure or surgery
Also called aspiration
Local anesthesia is previously carried out with 2-5 cc of 1% lidocaine. The puncture is then carried out using a 16 gauge needle. Antibiotic coverage will be offered. A work stoppage is recommended until the day after the puncture/aspiration but the duration is left to the discretion of the surgeon. A visit is systematically realised 15 days after the puncture/aspiration with a recommendation for earlier consultation in the event of persistence of redness, discharge, pain or onset of fever. If these symptoms recur or persist, it is recommended to make an incision with packing. In the event of fistulization following the puncture, associated with discharge and skin necrosis, local nursing care is recommended.
incision of the abscessProcedure or surgery
Also called gold standard
This is carried out according to the habits of the department: in the operating room under general or local anesthesia or in consultation (or emergencies) under local anesthesia. The procedure is carried out on an outpatient basis but, if necessary, short-term hospitalization is carried out. Daily drying is then carried out with nursing care at home until healing. A work stoppage is recommended for a period of approximately 10 days. A visit is systematically realised 15 days after the incision with a recommendation for earlier consultation in the event of persistence of redness, discharge, pain or onset of fever. If these symptoms recur or persist, it is recommended to make an incision with packing. The definitive resection procedure is then planned 4 to 6 weeks after the initial operation if the evolution is favorable.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| puncture/aspiration | Experimental | The puncture is then carried out using a 16 gauge needle. Antibiotic coverage will be offered. Receives: Procedure: puncture |
| abscess incision | Active comparator | The incision is made in the operating room under general or local anesthesia. The intervention is carried out on an outpatient basis but if necessary, short-term hospitalization is carried out. Daily drying is then carried out with nursing care at home until healing. Receives: Procedure: incision of the abscess |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
healing time
Compare the duration of wound healing between the puncture-aspiration and Incision groups => The healing time is defined by the time between the abscess flattens and the moment the skin is epidermised. In this case, it involves stopping the use of nursing care and stopping dressings. Healing is checked by the investigator using a photo taken by the patient. The date of healing is then recorded by the patient in the logbook. In the event of a recurrence of the abscess, with the need for an incision following the acute episode, the healing time is added to the duration of the previous episode.
Measured: 6 weeks
Secondary outcomes (5)
Effectiveness of the 2 procedures
Effectiveness of the puncture-aspiration and the reference technique in terms of disappearance of symptoms => Effectiveness defined by the disappearance of symptoms and characterized by the disappearance of the inflammatory triad: pain, heat and redness 4 weeks after the initial intervention. Recurrence of the abscess or acute infection before the scheduled definitive resection is considered a failure to resolve symptoms.
Measured: 4 weeks
Cost analysis
Total cost of each care pathway for the acute phase of a pilonidal sinus abscess, from a health insurance perspective.
Measured: 6 weeks
Duration of nursing care
Period between the date of emergency consultation and the date of the last visit of a nurse before the definitive resection => The care may be discontinuous or delayed from the urgent intervention, particularly if the abscess to be flattened secondarily after the initial intervention.
Measured: 6 weeks
Duration of work stoppage
Time between initial intervention and return to work.
Measured: 6 weeks
Returning to work
The time between the initial intervention and the day on which the patient feels able to resume their professional activity normally => The day on which the patient feels capable of resuming professional activity may be before the date of resumption of professional activity.
Measured: 6 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Apr 2024
- Study start20 Mar 2025
- Primary completion9 Dec 2025
- Study completion16 Jan 2026
Why it stopped: change of care at the center and low recruitment rate
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (7)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Pilonidal CystStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University Hospital, AngersThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 5 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, Angers
- Sponsor type
- Other government
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Aurélien VENARA, PHD, Principal investigator, University Hospital of Angers
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06378918
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2023-A02791-44
- Acronym
- PILO
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 16 Apr 2024
- Last updated
- 24 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Insufficient and partial data collected
Publications
de Parades V, Bouchard D, Janier M, Berger A. Pilonidal sinus disease. J Visc Surg. 2013 Sep;150(4):237-47. doi: 10.1016/j.jviscsurg.2013.05.006. Epub 2013 Aug 1.
PubMed 23911903Segre D, Pozzo M, Perinotti R, Roche B; Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery. The treatment of pilonidal disease: guidelines of the Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery (SICCR). Tech Coloproctol. 2015 Oct;19(10):607-13. doi: 10.1007/s10151-015-1369-3. Epub 2015 Sep 16.
PubMed 26377583Doll D, Friederichs J, Boulesteix AL, Dusel W, Fend F, Petersen S. Surgery for asymptomatic pilonidal sinus disease. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2008 Sep;23(9):839-44. doi: 10.1007/s00384-008-0476-2. Epub 2008 May 20.
PubMed 18491116Doll D, Friederichs J, Dettmann H, Boulesteix AL, Duesel W, Petersen S. Time and rate of sinus formation in pilonidal sinus disease. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2008 Apr;23(4):359-64. doi: 10.1007/s00384-007-0389-5.
PubMed 18043929Fahrni GT, Vuille-Dit-Bille RN, Leu S, Meuli M, Staerkle RF, Fink L, Dincler S, Muff BS. Five-year Follow-up and Recurrence Rates Following Surgery for Acute and Chronic Pilonidal Disease: A Survey of 421 Cases. Wounds. 2016 Jan;28(1):20-6.
PubMed 26824973Hussain ZI, Aghahoseini A, Alexander D. Converting emergency pilonidal abscess into an elective procedure. Dis Colon Rectum. 2012 Jun;55(6):640-5. doi: 10.1097/DCR.0b013e31824b9527.
PubMed 22595842Lasithiotakis K, Aghahoseini A, Volanaki D, Peter M, Alexander D. Aspiration for acute pilonidal abscess-a cohort study. J Surg Res. 2018 Mar;223:123-127. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2017.09.051. Epub 2017 Nov 17.
PubMed 29433863
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- PILO - Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Simple Puncture Compared to the Incision of an Abscess on the piLOnidal Sinus
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06378918
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PILO / 2023-A02791-44
- Conditions
- Pilonidal Cyst
- Keywords
- Pilonidal Cyst, abcess, puncture, incision, intergluteal groove
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: change of care at the center and low recruitment rate
- Enrolment
- 5 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, AngersOther government
- Study start
- 20 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 9 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 16 Jan 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 23 Apr 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Pilonidal disease is a common disease characterized by the presence of abscess in the intergluteal groove. During periods of abscess, current recommendations are to make a simple incision with daily wicking of the abscess. Direct excision at this time is not recommended because there is a risk of incomplete excision. The principle of directed healing after incision of the abscess results in an average dressing period of 21 days. A definitive resection is recommended after 4 to 6 weeks, when healing has been achieved, in order to limit the risk of infectious recurrence.
An alternative has recently been proposed, consisting of a puncture of the abscess, aimed at emptying it under antibiotic coverage. The major advantage of this treatment is that patients no longer need general anesthesia to flatten the abscess. Although this technique is promising, it is currently not the subject of any published or ongoing randomized controlled study registered on Clinicaltrials.gov.
The research hypothesis is that the two techniques have the same results in terms of recurrence before definitive surgical treatment but that drainage puncture would imply a faster healing time, a lower cost of treatment, a quality of superior support, reduced support time and reduced work stoppage.
Detailed description
This is a single-center, prospective, open-label, randomized study. Patients are screened and included during the emergency room consultation or a scheduled consultation. After verification of the selection criteria and provision of clear, fair and appropriate information, patients are offered to participate in the study. If they accept, consent is signed and randomization is carried out.
The procedure under study is puncture/aspiration. Local anesthesia is previously carried out with 2-5 cc of 1% lidocaine. The puncture is then carried out using a 16 gauge needle. Antibiotic coverage will be offered. A work stoppage is recommended until the day after the puncture/aspiration but the duration is left to the discretion of the surgeon. The patient is systematically reviewed 15 days after the puncture/aspiration with a recommendation for earlier consultation in the event of persistence of redness, discharge, pain or onset of fever. If these symptoms recur or persist, it is recommended to make an incision with packing. In the event of fistulization following the puncture, associated with discharge and skin necrosis, local nursing care is recommended. The definitive resection procedure is then planned 4 to 6 weeks after the puncture/aspiration if the evolution is favorable.
The gold standard procedure is incision of the abscess. This is carried out according to the habits of the department: in the operating room under general or local anesthesia or in consultation (or emergencies) under local anesthesia. The procedure is carried out on an outpatient basis but, if necessary, short-term hospitalization is carried out. Daily wicking is then carried out with nursing care at home until healing. A work stoppage is recommended for a period of approximately 10 days. The patient is systematically reviewed at 15 days with a recommendation for earlier consultation in the event of persistence of redness, discharge, pain or onset of fever. If these symptoms recur or persist, it is recommended to make an incision with packing. The definitive resection procedure is then planned 4 to 6 weeks after the initial operation if the evolution is favorable.
The definitive resection procedure is carried out after the flattening of the abscess has healed. It is recommended to perform resection without closure with nursing-care healing at home with daily packings for 15 days. After the 15-day visit, changing the dressings by wicking is recommended daily until healing.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| puncture/aspiration | Experimental | Procedure: punctureThe puncture is then carried out using a 16 gauge needle. Antibiotic coverage will be offered. |
| abscess incision | Active comparator | Procedure: incision of the abscessThe incision is made in the operating room under general or local anesthesia. The intervention is carried out on an outpatient basis but if necessary, short-term hospitalization is carried out. Daily drying is then carried out with nursing care at home until healing. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Adult patients with a pilonidal sinus abscess
- Surgical indication for flattening the abscess
- Recurrent or de novo abscess
- Signature of consent to participate in the study
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Skin necrosis
- Immunosuppression (drug-related or pathological) or diabetes
- Spontaneous fistulization
- Patients who do not speak French
- Pregnant and/or breastfeeding women
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| punctureAlso: aspirationLocal anesthesia is previously carried out with 2-5 cc of 1% lidocaine. The puncture is then carried out using a 16 gauge needle. Antibiotic coverage will be offered. A work stoppage is recommended until the day after the puncture/aspiration but the duration is left to the discretion of the surgeon. A visit is systematically realised 15 days after the puncture/aspiration with a recommendation for earlier consultation in the event of persistence of redness, discharge, pain or onset of fever. If these symptoms recur or persist, it is recommended to make an incision with packing. In the event of fistulization following the puncture, associated with discharge and skin necrosis, local nursing care is recommended. | Procedure or surgery | puncture/aspiration |
| incision of the abscessAlso: gold standardThis is carried out according to the habits of the department: in the operating room under general or local anesthesia or in consultation (or emergencies) under local anesthesia. The procedure is carried out on an outpatient basis but, if necessary, short-term hospitalization is carried out. Daily drying is then carried out with nursing care at home until healing. A work stoppage is recommended for a period of approximately 10 days. A visit is systematically realised 15 days after the incision with a recommendation for earlier consultation in the event of persistence of redness, discharge, pain or onset of fever. If these symptoms recur or persist, it is recommended to make an incision with packing. The definitive resection procedure is then planned 4 to 6 weeks after the initial operation if the evolution is favorable. | Procedure or surgery | abscess incision |
Primary outcome
healing time
Time frame: 6 weeks
Compare the duration of wound healing between the puncture-aspiration and Incision groups => The healing time is defined by the time between the abscess flattens and the moment the skin is epidermised. In this case, it involves stopping the use of nursing care and stopping dressings. Healing is checked by the investigator using a photo taken by the patient. The date of healing is then recorded by the patient in the logbook. In the event of a recurrence of the abscess, with the need for an incision following the acute episode, the healing time is added to the duration of the previous episode.
5 secondary outcomes
Effectiveness of the 2 procedures
Time frame: 4 weeks
Cost analysis
Time frame: 6 weeks
Duration of nursing care
Time frame: 6 weeks
Duration of work stoppage
Time frame: 6 weeks
Returning to work
Time frame: 6 weeks
Results and safety
The study was stopped early (reason given: change of care at the center and low recruitment rate). Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Jun 2026.
- Background: PubMed 23911903de Parades V, Bouchard D, Janier M, Berger A. Pilonidal sinus disease. J Visc Surg. 2013 Sep;150(4):237-47. doi: 10.1016/j.jviscsurg.2013.05.006. Epub 2013 Aug 1.
- Background: PubMed 26377583Segre D, Pozzo M, Perinotti R, Roche B; Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery. The treatment of pilonidal disease: guidelines of the Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery (SICCR). Tech Coloproctol. 2015 Oct;19(10):607-13. doi: 10.1007/s10151-015-1369-3. Epub 2015 Sep 16.
- Background: PubMed 18491116Doll D, Friederichs J, Boulesteix AL, Dusel W, Fend F, Petersen S. Surgery for asymptomatic pilonidal sinus disease. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2008 Sep;23(9):839-44. doi: 10.1007/s00384-008-0476-2. Epub 2008 May 20.
- Background: PubMed 18043929Doll D, Friederichs J, Dettmann H, Boulesteix AL, Duesel W, Petersen S. Time and rate of sinus formation in pilonidal sinus disease. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2008 Apr;23(4):359-64. doi: 10.1007/s00384-007-0389-5.
- Background: PubMed 26824973Fahrni GT, Vuille-Dit-Bille RN, Leu S, Meuli M, Staerkle RF, Fink L, Dincler S, Muff BS. Five-year Follow-up and Recurrence Rates Following Surgery for Acute and Chronic Pilonidal Disease: A Survey of 421 Cases. Wounds. 2016 Jan;28(1):20-6.
- Background: PubMed 22595842Hussain ZI, Aghahoseini A, Alexander D. Converting emergency pilonidal abscess into an elective procedure. Dis Colon Rectum. 2012 Jun;55(6):640-5. doi: 10.1097/DCR.0b013e31824b9527.
- Background: PubMed 29433863Lasithiotakis K, Aghahoseini A, Volanaki D, Peter M, Alexander D. Aspiration for acute pilonidal abscess-a cohort study. J Surg Res. 2018 Mar;223:123-127. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2017.09.051. Epub 2017 Nov 17.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Insufficient and partial data collected
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Aurélien VENARA, PHD principal investigator
University Hospital of Angers
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing puncture and incision of the abscess in people with Pilonidal Cyst, run by University Hospital, Angers at 1 site in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study was stopped early (reason given: change of care at the center and low recruitment rate). Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
healing time (time frame: 6 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06378918, which also lists 7 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Jun 2026.