Pilonidal sinus is a common chronic disease of the sacrococcygeal region. The treatment varies according to the clinical presentation of the disease. Although many surgical methods have been suggested, an ideal method is still lacking because of high recurrence rates. The aim of this work is to assess the role of Z-plasty in promoting primary healing in pilonidal disease and to evaluate morbidity and recurrence. This study included 40 patients (36 males and 4 females) who underwent excision of sinus and Z-plasty closure for sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 12 months. There were 36 males and 4 females with a median age of 25 years. The mean hospital stay was 2 days. The mean time to return to work after discharge from the hospital was 14 days. There were no recurrences, and all patients were satisfied with the cosmesis. Two patients (5 %) had numbness over the flap. Necrosis of flaps did not occur in any patient. Only three patients were noticed to have wound infection (7.5 %). Five patients (12.5 %) developed wound seroma. Although requiring some technical expertise, excision of sinus and Z-plasty offer superior results with respect to recurrence in the hospital stay and cosmesis of patients with pilonidal sinus.