People often have such congenital anomalies that they may not be aware of for a long period of life. A similar defect such as the coccygeal cyst, which is formed due to the fact that soft tissues in the region of the sacrum and coccyx during the intrauterine life developed incorrectly, belongs to a similar phenomenon.
The coccyx cyst begins to appear mainly in young people aged 15-25, and most often in men. In this case, there are acute pain in the lower back, redness, swelling.
In this article, we will consider the main causes of coccygeal cysts.
Causes of coccyx cysts
The coccyx cyst is a congenital phenomenon, but there are some factors that provoke its manifestation. These include:
- mechanical injuries;
- diseases of an infectious nature;
- hypothermia;
- decreased immune defense.
Symptoms
Many believe that a coccyx cyst appears only in men. But actually it is not. The thing is that the epithelial coccygeal passages in the stronger sex are more likely to cause inflammation. That is why men suffer due to this pathological phenomenon several times more often. However, the probability of its occurrence in a woman in the intergluteal fold of the epithelial coccygeal passage is exactly the same. However, for reasons not clarified in women, it becomes inflamed much less often. The article presents a photo of the coccygeal cyst.
In the formation of pathology observed:
- the appearance of a painless infiltrate;
- a sensation of a foreign object in the area of the intergluteal fold, and discomfort occurs during movements;
- in a sitting position the tailbone is very sore;
- temperature rise;
- in the coccyx - swelling of the skin, severe redness.
To diagnose a coccygeal cyst, as a rule, it does not take much time, and special techniques are not used. A doctor when examining a site of inflammation can accurately determine the diagnosis even by visual signs.
In addition, a person is tormented by aching and twitching pains, the intensity of which increases when a person lies on his back and in a sitting position, as well as when touching the site of inflammation.
Key features
The main signs of coccygeal cysts:
- A tumor between the buttocks, slightly higher from the tailbone. The inflamed area can be of different shapes and sizes, and also protrude beyond the line of the intergluteal folds to the right or left.
- On the line between the buttocks, a hole appears, from which a colorless infiltrate or pus begins to stand out.
- One or more secondary openings may occur.
The coccygeal passage in some cases has many exits, especially during exacerbations during inflammation. Bloody and purulent discharge can ooze from such exits, that is, they are considered active, but can also be scarred, passive. Such holes are located most often next to the initial move, a few centimeters from it.
If an infection penetrates through the epithelial coccygeal passage, then the likelihood that acute inflammation of the coccygeal cyst occurs. In this case, an increase in temperature is possible, and near this hole the skin swells and hyperemic.
The causes of coccygeal cysts are of interest to many.
Dermoid cyst
In medical practice, a dermoid cyst and coccygeal passage are completely different phenomena. However, general practitioners evaluate them as a single diagnosis. A dermoid cyst differs from the coccygeal passage in that, when it develops, a hole appears in the fold between the buttocks. Due to suppuration in rare cases, such a hole is veiled. With a dermoid cyst, the tumor in any case contains a distinct capsule, which sometimes erupts. The only difference between the coccygeal passage and a similar cyst is the absence or presence of an opening.
Effects
If the coccygeal cyst has not been completely cured, the following consequences may occur:
- development of a secondary fistula (often not just one, but multiple);
- recurrent abscesses;
- phlegmon (purulent inflammation).
Complications
Complications of this pathology are observed, as a rule, in two stages: acute or chronic inflammation (fistula) - and periods of remission.
If there is a delay in the isolation from the fistula of the products of the activity of the epithelium, then a painless infiltrate of small size develops, having clear contours and often interfering with movements. When an infection gets through such an opening, the development of acute inflammation begins, which is accompanied by pain, fever, swelling and hyperemia of the skin.
If the inflammation of the coccygeal passage is chronic, it most often does not affect the general condition of the patient, the discharge is rather scarce, and swelling and hyperemia of the skin are also not observed. Secondary holes may heal, while the rest will continue to function.
If the inflammatory process is in remission for a long period of time, the secondary opening is healed and no discharge occurs when pressure is applied to the epithelial coccygeal passage.
If such symptoms occur, the main thing is not to confuse the coccygeal cyst with various cystic formations, as well as with fistulas of the rectum, osteomyelitis of the coccyx and sacrum bones, pyoderma with fistula, etc. To establish a diagnosis, it is recommended to undergo sigmoidoscopy, as well as examination of the coccygeal passage using a probe. If it was determined by sounding that the course lies in the direction of the coccyx or sacrum, an x-ray is additionally assigned to exclude bone osteomyelitis.
Cancer
Modern medical practice has not yet encountered cases of the development of oncological diseases from the coccygeal cyst, nevertheless, it is necessary to study the removed tissues, since foreign medical literature describes cases when such an education turned into cancer. If the disease is not treated for a long time or frequent relapses of abscesses and fistulas are observed, then the development of a squamous type of cancer is quite possible.
Suppuration of the cyst
The epithelial passage is a narrow tube located in the middle of the intergluteal fold. It is opened on the skin in the form of one or more holes, which for a long time may not appear. As a result of injuries, inflammation of the cyst occurs, which contributes to the appearance of purulent discharge, due to which this course expands and begins to collapse. Inflammation also manifests itself in neighboring tissues, which affects the formation of an abscess that erupts on the surface of the skin. This leads to the formation of secondary holes.
Next, we will consider the treatment of coccygeal cysts.
Pathology treatment
What does it consist of? This is a common question. We will understand it in more detail.
The main important point when a specialist prescribes an antibiotic to treat an ailment is the determination of the type of microorganism that caused this inflammation. This requires a special laboratory study. Therefore, with the pathology of this type, one of the wide spectrum antibacterial agents is most often prescribed. The disadvantages of such drugs are strong adverse reactions and low effectiveness. This event has only a temporary effect, giving only a delay in the surgical solution of the problem and the relief of pain caused by the coccyx cyst.
The use of anti-inflammatory drugs can help eliminate pain and resist cyst inflammation. However, they only relieve symptoms, so applying them is even more unreliable than even antibiotics. Thus, this pathology is treated exclusively by surgery.
A number of experts advise using special depilation creams to get rid of hair in the coccygeal region. In their opinion, this can positively affect the course of the disease.
The inflammatory process leads to the fact that an abscess forms near the coccyx, and in this case there are two options for the development of the disease: when the abscess is opened surgically and when it occurs naturally. After this, the pain and inflammation go away and the wounds close. Nevertheless, this is only visible prosperity, since the coccyx cyst is not cured - the lesion is preserved, and after a certain time, exacerbation will occur again.
The best treatment for the disease
To get rid of the coccyx cyst, radical surgery is necessary - an operation to remove this cyst. Surgeons eliminate the source that caused the inflammatory process, the epithelial canal, as well as its secondary openings. The operation to remove the coccygeal cyst, as a rule, is not emergency. This is usually a planned event. After diagnosis, the patient has several days to prepare for manipulation.
Features of the operation for this pathology
Surgery for this disease is performed during remission, although sometimes a surgical solution to the problem is necessary during exacerbation. This is done under local or general anesthesia, the duration of operations is approximately thirty minutes.
To cure the pathology completely, removal of the coccygeal cyst is required. The operation is prescribed to everyone, without exception, even in cases of uncomplicated disease and at any stage of the inflammatory process in the coccygeal passage. The sooner the cyst is excised, the less time it will take for the body to recover. The likelihood of relapse and complications will also be significantly reduced. Practice shows that the experience of the surgeon also has an important role.
In addition, there are some modern methods of surgical intervention used when a coccygeal cyst occurs. They can significantly reduce the time of rehabilitation.
When the coccygeal cyst is removed, the operation is performed both under local anesthesia and under general anesthesia. The local method of analgesia is often enough. However, at the request of the patient or with complex forms and stages of the pathological process, general anesthesia is possible.
The meaning of surgery is to remove the epithelial canal along with the exit openings. Patients tolerate the procedure quite easily. After the operation, during the period of remission, the wounds heal in a few weeks and the person's working capacity is restored.
The patient should observe bed rest on the first day after surgery. The coccygeal cyst is removed quite quickly, so on the second day it is already allowed to get up. On the 14th day, the stitches are removed. Postoperative therapy of this pathology includes the use of antibiotics and a variety of pain medications. Dressings are performed daily under the supervision of a surgeon until the wound is completely stabilized.
The only effective treatment for coccygeal cysts is surgery. All other methods of therapy can only alleviate the condition of the patient, but they will not be able to completely get rid of the problem.