Physicians and Sacroiliac (SI)
Joint dysfunction

Sacroiliac (SI) Joint surgery is far less commonly performed than spinal surgical procedures. However, according to Weksler; et al., it is common for pain from Sacroiliac (SI) Joint dysfunction to mimic discogenic or radicular low back pain. Many patients go on to receive lumbar fusion instead of Sacroiliac (SI) Joint fusion. Sacroiliac (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 Sacroiliac (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 Sacroiliac (SI) Joint dysfunction.

Clinical value of diagnosing Sacroiliac (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.

Sacroiliac (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 Sacroiliac (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 Sacroiliac (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 Sacroiliac (SI) Joint fusion or fixation
  • Rigid titanium implants provide immediate post-operative Sacroiliac (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 Sacroiliac (SI) Joint

Economic value of Sacroiliac (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 Sacroiliac (SI) Joint dysfunction.

Information Links

Spine Surgery

www.spine.org
www.smiss.org
www.aaos.org

Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Dysfunction*

www.medicinenet.com/sacroiliac_joint_pain/article.htm
www.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.

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An Advanced Approach to Surgical Management of SI Joint Dysfunction
Up to 25% of all low back pain is SI Joint in origin – but the diagnosis of SI Joint disease is frequently overlooked. (Cohen, et al.)
It is common to link low back pain with protruding disc even when neurological signs are absent. (Weksler, et al.)
It is common for pain from SI Joint dysfunction to mimic discogenic or radicular low back pain. (Weksler, et al.)
Many patients go on to receive lumbar fusion instead of SI Joint fusion – so SI Joint disease should be strongly considered in differential diagnosis of low back pain. (Weksler, et al.)
Now there is an approach to surgical management of SI Joint dysfunction that’s easier and less invasive than traditional open surgery.
The iFuse Implant System consists of porous plasma spray coated implants, surgically inserted across the SI Joint to create fixation leading to fusion—from the inside.
The iFuse creates a biomechanically rigorous fixation/fusion system, designed to support reliable fixation/fusion and acute weight bearing capacity.
With the iFuse Implant System, there is no need for BMP in conjunction with autologous bone graft or additional pedicle screws, rods or hollow modular anchorage screws or cannulated compression screws or threaded cages within the joint or fracture fixation screws.
iFuse benefits:
The iFuse Implant System is designed to be the sacroiliac joint fusion/fixation method of choice for spine surgeons.
iFuse is a minimally invasive surgical solution to replace open surgical SI Joint fusion.
With iFuse there's minimal incision size, minimal soft tissue stripping, minimal tendon irritation and reduced risk of infection.
iFuse is a simplified minimally invasive surgical procedure.
Just drill, broach, insert Implants and close.
iFuse has a simple technique which reduces OR time to less than 1 hour.
iFuse has 3X shear and 7X bending strength compared with screws.
iFuse has improved patient perception of stability post-implant.
The incidence of SI joint degeneration in patients was 75% at 5 years post-fusion, which was significantly higher than in the non-fusion group, 38.2%. (Ha, et al.)
Among patients with one-segment fusion, 91% developed SI joint degeneration. (Ha, et al.)
Regardless of whether the fusion includes the sacrum, the SI joint is influenced by increased mechanical stress arising from lumbar/lumbosacral fusion. (Ha, et al.)
Posterolateral lumbar/lumbosacral fusion can be a cause of SIJ degeneration. (Ha, et al.)