Hidradenitis Suppuritiva (HS) is a chronic follicular occlusive disease involving the apocrine glands of intertriginous areas of the body, including axilla, groin, genitalia, buttocks and perianal regions. There is a spectrum of disease ranging from abscess formation to chronic, painful, draining lesions with sinus tract and fistula formation. It affects up to 4% of the population and causes significant pain, functional limitation and psychosocial distress for affected patients. In cases of genital/perineal involvement, HS can have a profound impact on quality of life, sexual function and overall well-being. Severe, recurrent cases of the disease are not amenable to medical therapy. Wide surgical resection is the only curative therapy for HS, yet there is no consensus on surgical techniques that produce the most favorable outcomes in recalcitrant cases of this difficult to treat disease. This article provides a review of the evidence for different techniques including both the medical management, but more extensively the surgical options for treatment. We will also provide case examples of hidradenitis where patients underwent widespread excision and split-skin grafting. Hidradenitis causes profound quality of life issues. This is due to chronic pain, odor, drainage, and illness. The result is days of work lost, low self-confidence, impaired sexual health, and even depression in some patients. Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Rizal Lim, Elizabeth Patberg, Audrey Cox, Rachael Madalon, Haaris Mir and Christopher J Salgado
Last date updated on September, 2024