Coccygectomy is surgery to remove the coccyx, e.g. for patients with coccyx pain (tailbone pain). Typically, surgery is reserved for patients with cancer (malignancy) or those whose tailbone pain has failed to respond to nonsurgical treatment (such as medications by mouth, use of seat cushions, and medications given by local injections done under fluoroscopic guidance). ¹

In humans, coccygectomy is the treatment of last resort for coccydynia, but is considered a required treatment for sacrococcygeal teratoma and other germ cell tumors arising from the coccyx.

One complication of coccygectomy includes infection at the surgical site. The fairly common occurence of these post-operative infections is apparently due to the site's proximity to the colon and anus, thus leading to bacterial contamination of the surgical site by bacteria from the patient's stool (bowel movements). Another complication is prolonged pain at the surgical site, or failure to relieve the pain that the patient was having prior to surgery.

To preserve normal defecation, coccygectomy normally is accompanied by re-attachment (also known as re-approximation) of the two levator ani muscles and of the perineum, parts of the pelvic floor. In adults who undergo coccygectomy, one infrequent complication is a subsequent perineal hernia or coccygeal hernia. This complication has not been reported in persons who underwent coccygectomy when a baby or child.

To repair these hernias, a variety of surgical techniques have been described.²³⁴

See also

• Rump (croup)
• Docking (animal)
• Docking (dog)
• Coccyx

References

1. ^ Foye PM (2007). "Reasons to delay or avoid coccygectomy for coccyx pain". Injury 38 (11): 1328. PMID 17884057. 
2. ^ Zook NL, Zook EG (July 1997). "Repair of a long-standing coccygeal hernia and open wound". Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 100 (1): 96–9. PMID 9207665, http://meta.wkhealth.com/pt/pt-core/template-journal/lwwgateway/media/landingpage.htm?issn=0032-1052&volume=100&issue=1&spage=96. 
3. ^ Berrevoet F, Pattyn P (June 2005). "Use of bone anchors in perineal hernia repair: a practical note". Langenbecks Arch Surg 390 (3): 255–8. doi:10.1007/s00423-004-0523-6. PMID 15580523, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00423-004-0523-6. 
4. ^ Miranda EP, Anderson AL, Dosanjh AS, Lee CK (September 2007). "Successful management of recurrent coccygeal hernia with the de-epithelialised rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap". J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2007.08.002. PMID 17889632. 

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