Superabsorbent dressings with a contact layer of silicone in patients after surgery for pilonidal disease (results of a randomized trial)

AIM: to assess surgical results in patients with pilonidal disease with purulent fistula using postoperative superabsorbent dressings.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: the prospective randomized study included 121 patients with pilonidal disease in the stage of purulent fistula, who underwent surgery (excision of the epithelial coccygeal tract with fixation of the skin edges to the sacrococcygeal fascia). In group I patients (n = 58), silicone-based dressings were used. In group II patients (n = 63), traditional dressings were used. The follow up was 2 months. The assessment included pain syndrome on days 3, 6 and 9 of the postoperative period, the presence of skin damage, the presence of subjective complaints of itching, burning, discomfort in the area of the dressing, the number of postoperative complications in the form of suppuration of the postoperative wound, dehiscence of the fasciocutaneous sutures.

RESULTS: silicone-based superabsorbent patch-type dressings decreased unsatisfactory skin condition from 20 cases in the control group to 2, the pain syndrome was lower than when using adhesive-based dressings and was 1.3 ± 0.4 and 3.8 ± 0.8 points respectively. There was also a decrease in the number of postoperative complications from 20.6% to 10.3% in the comparison groups.

CONCLUSION: superabsorbent patch-type silicone-based dressings improve the subjective sensations of patients, have less impact on the skin and wound surface, make removal of dressing material easier and reduce the number of postoperative complications.

1. Baron JM, Glatz M, Proksch E. Optimal support of wound healing: new insights. Dermatology. 2020;1–8. [Online ahead of print]. doi: 10.1159/000505291

2. Wiegand C, Hipler UC, Elsner P, et al. Clinical efficacy of dressings for treatment of heavily exuding chronic wounds. Chronic Wound Care Manag Res. 2015;2:101–111. doi: 10.2147/CWCMR.S60315

3. Tickle J. Introducing a new superabsorbent dressing to manage wound exudate. Br J Nurs. 2017;26(Suppl 20):S38–S45. doi: 10.12968/bjon.2017.26.Sup20.S38

4. Faucher N, Safar H, Baret M, et al. Superabsorbent dressings for copiously exuding wounds. Br J Nurs. 2012;21(12):S22, S24, S26–S28 doi: 10.12968/bjon.2012.21.Sup12.S22

5. Shi J, Barakat M, Chen D, et al. Bicellular tight junctions and wound healing. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(12):3862. doi: 10.3390/ijms19123862

6. Blackburn J, Stephenson J, Atkin L, et al. Exploring and understanding challenges in clinical practice: appropriate dressing wear time. Wounds UK. 2018;14(5):56–64.

7. Lichman, L.A., Katorkin S.E., Andreev P.S. Evaluation of the effectiveness of modern self-adhesive silicone postoperative bandages. Outpatient surgery. 2023;20(2):96–100. (In Russ.). doi: 10.21518/akh2023-028 EDN DFOKEA.

8. Shubrov E.N., Baryshev A.G., Triandafilov K.V., et al. Analysis of the results of the application of a new method of plastic surgery of the postoperative wound defect of the sacrococcygeal region after excision of the pilonidal cyst: a randomized trial. Kuban Scientific Medical Bulletin. 2022;29(5):80–93. (In Russ.). doi: 10.25207/1608-6228-2022-29-5-80-93 EDN COYYAH.

9. Bregovskiy V.B., Demina A.G., Karpova I.A. The use of modern dressings for the local treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in out-patient setting. Ambulatornaya Khirurgiya. 2022;19(2):72–81. (In Russ.). doi: 10.21518/1995-1477-2022-19-2-72-81

10. Lichman L.A., Katorkin S.E., Andreev P.S., et al. Epithelial coccygeal cyst: a new approach to surgical treatment. Surgery news. 2018;26(5):555–562. (In Russ.). doi: 10.18484/2305-0047.2018.5.555

11. Sergatsky K.I., Nikolsky V.I., Aljabr M., et al. Clinical observations of malignant transformation of a pilonidal cyst. Surgery news. 2023;31(1):71–77. (In Russ.). doi: 10.18484/2305-0047.2023.1.71 EDN XXYGPI.

12. Oztas P, Demirci EK, Aksakal FNB, et al. Topical treatment modalities in pressure ulcers: a retrospective analysis. J Wound Care. 2025 Apr 2;34(4):312–318. doi: 10.12968/jowc.2021.0395

13. Yang TY, Park JE, Kim JB, et al. Incidence and Characteristics of Medical Adhesive-Related Skin Injuries in Patients Following Spinal Surgery: A Prospective Observational Study. Int Wound J. 2025 Apr;22(4):e70457. doi: 10.1111/iwj.70457

14. Degenhardt A, Reinbold T, Weinhardt C. Performance and safety of transparent postoperative dressings with silicone adhesive in daily practice on fragile skin. J Wound Care. 2024 Nov 2;33(11):824–832. doi: 10.12968/jowc.2024.0308

15. Anusitviwat C, Yuenyongviwat V. Comparing silicone-coated self-adhesive absorbent polyurethane films with transparent absorbent films for bilateral hip dressing: a prospective randomized controlled trial. J Orthop Surg Res. 2025 Feb 1;20(1):129. doi: 10.1186/s13018-024-05448-7

16. Srivastava N, Manisha, Ghai A, et al. Comparative efficacy of advanced and traditional wound dressings in post-operative orthopaedic care for hip and knee surgeries: A randomized controlled trial. J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2025 Feb 12;63:102933. doi: 10.1016/j.jcot.2025.102933

17. Wiegand C, Abel M, Hipler UC, et al. Effect of non-adhering dressings on promotion of fibroblast proliferation and wound healing in vitro. Sci Rep. 2019 Mar 13;9(1):4320. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-40921-y

18. Barrett S, Rippon M, Rogers AA. Treatment of 52 patients with a self-adhesive siliconised superabsorbent dressing: a multicentre observational study. J Wound Care. 2020 Jun 2;29(6):340–349. doi: 10.12968/jowc.2020.29.6.340