Today we learn about a common but tricky type of wound in clinical practice: the sinus tract. It may not be familiar to everyone, and as you can associate from the name, it should be similar to a curved wound like a duct. We have summarized the following points for your reference. Q: What is a sinus tract? A: A sinus tract is a pipe-like wound with an external opening on the surface of the skin and an internal duct that is not connected to the chest or abdominal cavity, etc. There is no internal opening. Those with an internal opening are called fistulas (such as anal fistulas, which are poorly treated with conservative therapy. (No chat here.) In layman’s terms, it is a small localized sore that leads into the body, and the internal wound condition is not visible to the naked eye, which is why it is called a sinus tract. Q: Why is it called a sinus tract? A: Sinus tract is a type of wound that is summarized according to the nature of the disease and belongs to a special category of wounds. The full picture of the wound cannot be seen by the naked eye. Mostly, the prognosis is assessed based on the clinical experience of the doctor who observes the wound. Q: Why do sinus tracts form? A: Sinus tracts occur mostly due to post-surgery, trauma, infection and other factors. Sinus tracts can appear in postoperative wounds, often due to sutures, guide wires, internal fixation and other rejection reactions, infection, etc., manifesting as postoperative wounds that do not heal on schedule, small localized skin sores with internal ducts, often with secretions flowing out, which can temporarily close, but repeatedly break down and do not heal for a long time, and sometimes there can be foreign bodies such as necrotic tissue, dead bone fragments or surgical wires discharged from the sores. In addition, poor wound drainage and improper treatment of infected wounds can also cause sinus tracts. Q: How can I “see” the sinus tract when the tube is hidden inside? A: According to the location of the sinus tract, we will choose the appropriate examination means: CT sinus imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, x-ray (sinus tract near the limb bone, can exclude osteomyelitis), etc., so as to clarify the location, shape, number, depth and relationship with the neighboring organs, so that we can know each other and take appropriate measures to treat. Pus culture + drug sensitivity to understand whether there is bacterial growth in the sinus tract is also necessary. Q: Is there any good treatment for sinus tracts? A: The treatment of sinus tracts must be followed by a thorough physical and chemical examination. Foreign body is an important cause of sinus tract development and one of the main reasons why it is not cured for a long time, so it must be removed in time for treatment. The traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of treating sinus tracts, and has formed many unique methods, from the traditional ascending dan preparations, the medicinal threads to erode the tube and to create muscle to close the mouth, to today’s hanging threads to drain the sinus tract, scraping the sinus tract fistula, removing the rot and creating muscle drip irrigation, etc., which all show the characteristics of the traditional Chinese medicine external treatment method of removing rot and creating muscle. Combined with the “secret weapon” of modern medicine (many drugs to promote healing, etc.), the clinical efficacy has been greatly improved. Q: I just want to change the medicine to grow back (sinus tract), can I do that? A: Sinus tracts are tricky to treat, and you should dilate the surgery if necessary (please listen to your doctor’s advice).