Local administration of antibiotics by gentamicin-collagen sponge does not improve wound healing or reduce recurrence rate after pilonidal excision with primary suture: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Background: Excision and primary suture for pilonidal disease is associated with a high rate of wound infection and recurrences. This randomized, controlled study was designed to analyze the effect of local application of a gentamicin-containing collagen sponge (Collatamp(®)) in reducing the wound infection rate and recurrences after excision of pilonidal sinus and wound closure with primary midline suture.

Methods: From March 2003 to November 2005, 161 patients with symptomatic pilonidal disease were operated on at 11 hospitals with traditional wide excision of the sinus and all of its tracts.