Sacroiliac Joint Fusion
An Overview
Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain is felt in the low back and may spread to the groin and legs. There is one joint on the right side of the spine and one on the left. They are held together with strong bands of fiber called ligaments. The joints help reduce impact on the spine during things like walking.
Causes
Inflammation of the joints may be caused by osteoarthritis, injection of the joint, ankylosing spondylitis, stress fractures. Other more common causes include injury to the ligaments from regular high-impact activities such as jogging, trauma such as a motor vehicle accident or a fall or falling or taking awkward steps off a curb or step. Changes during pregnancy that allow the joints to move more than they should can also predispose to sacroiliac joint pain
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Risk Factors
Things that may raise the risk of this problem are:
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Weak muscles
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Improper lifting
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Inflammatory conditions, such as ankylosing spondylitis or psoriatic arthritis
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High-impact sports or activities
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Sacroiliac joint fusion surgery may be recommended to treat sacroiliac joint pain when nonsurgical treatments are ineffective. n a fusion surgery, a bone graft and/or instruments are used to encourage bone growth over the sacroiliac joint and create one immobile unit. Joint fusion can effectively reduce pain and instability caused by sacroiliac joint dysfunction or inflammation (sacroiliitis).
Sacroiliac Joint Fusion Procedure
There are multiple minimally invasive surgical systems used for sacroiliac joint fusion, which include the implants that fuse the joint as well as other tools needed to perform the surgery. All minimally-invasive sacroiliac joint fusion consist of the following:
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Under general anesthesia, a small incision is made over the lower back and muscles are gently moved to the side.
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A device is used to drill a small hole through the ilium and access the joint.
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The sacroiliac joint is cleared of ligaments and muscles, and a bone graft and surgical implants are put in place across the joint to encourage bone growth.
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Muscles are put back in place, and the surgical site is closed using standard sutures.
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This is usually an outpatient procedure
