Consensus statement of the Italian society of colorectal surgery (SICCR): management and treatment of pilonidal disease

Abstract

Pilonidal disease (PD) is a relatively common, benign but challenging condition of the natal cleft. This consensus statement was drawn up by a panel of surgeons, identified by the Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery (SICCR) as having a “special interest” in PD, with the aim of recommending the best therapeutic options according to currently available scientific evidence. A three-step modified-Delphi process was adopted, implying: (1) choice of the panelists; (2) development of a discussion outline and of target issues; and (3) a detailed systematic review of the current literature. The agreement/disagreement level was scored on a five-point Likert scale as follows: “A + : strongly agree; A–: agree; N: unsure/no opinion; D–: disagree; D + : strongly disagree. Each panelist contributed to the production of this manuscript, and the final recommendations were reviewed by the Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee.