I had a pilonidal cyst removed from the base of my spine in the 70s. Not sure if they still do it this way, but stitching it closed was said to increase the probability of the cyst coming back, so instead they left a drainage tube in place and just sewed the top of my butt crack together. I woke up from surgery on my stomach and had to stay like that for almost a week. This was back when they actually let you recover in the hospital and not throw you out the same day.