
What is Pilonidal Disease
Pilonidal disease (pie-low-NIE-dul), a chronic infection of the skin and underlying tissue near the tailbone, is a common disorder. It typically affects people in their teens, 20’s, and 30’s and often disappears by the age of forty. In its most severe form, pilonidal disease can be very debilitating, causing daily discomfort and limiting activity. Most operations reported to cure the disease are not reliable. Many sufferers of pilonidal disease become discouraged in their search for curative treatments as many surgeons, and medical practitioners continue to misadvise patients to consider disfiguring procedures with high recurrence rates.
This website provides basic information about pilonidal disease and its treatment. The most reliable and successful surgical treatment to date, the ‘cleft lift procedure’ is discussed in detail.
Misdiagnosed: The Medical Community is Failing Pilonidal Patients
Pilonidal Disease by the Numbers
1,000,000
Number of Patients Diagnosed
100,000+
Conventional Surgeries Performed Annually
~30,000
Patients with Reoccuring Disease
30+%
Failure rate of Conventional Surgery
A study of the previous 750 Cleft Lift surgeries at the Sternberg Clinic reveal only that only 6 patients required follow up repair
Our first-time success rate is 99.93%
Understanding the Treatment Options
How to Diagnose and Treat Pilonidal Disease

An Innovation in Care
The Cleft Lift Procedure: A Cure Through Better Engineering
The most modern and non-invasive method for treating patients of Pilonidal Disease
Over the past 20 years, Dr. Jeffrey Sternberg has perfected his method for treating Pilonidal Disease based on a procedure developed by two innovative surgeons in the 1970s. Their method of non-invasive surgery revolutionized the medical community’s treatment of Pilonidal Disease, helping patients address, and quickly recover from this sometimes debilitating disease.
- Short healing cycle
- Low reoccurrence rate
- Outpatient surgery
Patient Testimonials: The Blog
Read success stories from surgery patients
Did Dr. Sternberg treat your pilonidal disease? Submit a Patient Testimonial