SI Joint surgery is far less commonly performed than spinal surgical procedures. However, according to Weksler; et al., it is common for pain from SI Joint dysfunction to mimic discogenic or radicular low back pain. Many patients go on to receive lumbar fusion instead of SI Joint fusion. SI Joint disease should be strongly considered in differential diagnosis of low back pain.
Use of the iFuse Implant SystemTM may be an important tool in treating dysfunction of the SI Joint or trauma. The iFuse Implant SystemTM is a less invasive solution that will allow spine surgeons to address issues affecting their patients with SI Joint dysfunction.
Clinical value of diagnosing SI Joint pathology:
Low back pain is the second most common reason for visits to physicians and the most common reason for missing work in the US. Most cases of acute back pain are self-limited and will resolve with a short period of rest, treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and appropriate physical therapy. However, chronic disabling back pain requires a specific diagnosis for appropriate treatment.Many physicians find the evaluation of low back pain frustrating because of the perceived difficulty in obtaining a specific diagnosis. Missed diagnoses of treatable conditions can lead to inappropriate surgery, chronic pain behavior, and possible narcotic dependence. All of these may produce a negative impact on the quality of the patient's life and can produce unnecessary expense for the US health care system.
SI Joint pathology is an often-overlooked part of the differential diagnosis of low back pain and sciatica, according to several leading investigators (Cohen, et al.). New developments in interventional radiology are now allowing greater precision in the diagnosis of SI Joint dysfunction. This enhanced diagnostic ability may lead to improved outcomes through more focused intervention, thereby avoiding the negative consequences associated with misdiagnosis.
The iFuse Implant SystemTM provides surgeons with:
- Less invasive surgical solution than open surgical SI Joint fixation or fusion.
- No extensive tissue stripping
- Decreased average length of stay from 3-4 days to ≤ 1 day
- Straightforward surgical approach versus traditional open surgical SI Joint fusion or fixation
- Rigid titanium implants provide immediate post-operative SI Joint stability and minimal rotation and micromotion
- Porous plasma spray coating with irregular surface designed to support stable bone fixation/fusion
- Larger implant surface area designed to maximize post-surgical weight bearing capacity
- Biomechanically rigorous implant designed to specifically stabilize the heavily loaded SI Joint
Economic value of SI Joint Fusion:
The SI-BONE iFuse Implant System significantly impacts cost efficacy by providing ≤ 1 day average length of stay versus 3-4 days and decreased call back to the operating room than traditional open surgery for SI Joint dysfunction.Information Links
Spine Surgery
www.spine.orgwww.smiss.org
www.aaos.org
SI Joint Dysfunction*
www.medicinenet.com/sacroiliac_joint_pain/article.htmwww.spine-health.com/conditions/lower-back-pain/sacroiliac-joint-dysfunction
www.orthogate.org/patient-education/lumbar-spine/sacroiliac-joint-dysfunction.html
*Please note that SI-BONE does not endorse these individual websites. These websites are meant for informational purposes only.
