Clinical Outcomes of Coccygectomy for Chronic Coccygodynia

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To confirm the clinical outcomes of coccygectomy for intractable chronic coccygodynia. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Coccygectomy has been reported to be one of the good options for the failure of conservative treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted, including nine patients who underwent coccygectomy for intractable chronic coccygodynia. RESULTS: Improvements in the mean visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, from 5.6 to 2.1, were observed. As for patient satisfaction, there were four cases with excellent outcomes, three with good outcomes, one with a fair outcome, and only one with a poor outcome. Surgical complications, such as wound infection, did not occur in any of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Irrespective of the causes, coccygectomy for chronic coccygodynia, for which nonsurgical management, including cushions, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and corticosteroid injections, has no effect, is considered a useful method because it brings definite pain relief and leads to high patient satisfaction.