SI Joint Fusion

Once your spine doctor has confirmed the source of your symptoms is Sacroiliac joint pain and you have attempted conservative treatment options such as physical therapy, SI joint injections and pain medication it may be time to consider surgical treatment. One option is Sacroiliac (SI) joint fusion.

SI joint fusion is a minimally invasive surgical procedure requiring a small incision (about one to two inches long), along the side of the buttock. Your spine surgeon will use fluoroscopy or navigation, a real-time imaging technique, to precisely place titanium implants across the SI joint for better stability.

Traditional "Open" SI Joint Fusions Surgery vs. iFuse Minimally Invasive SI Joint Fusion

Traditional or "open" SI joint fusion surgery is very different than the iFuse minimally invasive option. Open SI joint surgery requires a significant amount of soft tissue dissection to get to the joint and a significant amount of joint debridement -- the removal of damaged tissue — to prepare the joint for fusion. This leads to longer recovery time, which may include several days at the hospital. Open surgery also carries a greater risk of post-operative complications than minimally invasive surgery.

iFuse Implant System

The iFuse Implant System is intended for sacroiliac joint fusion for conditions including sacroiliac joint dysfunction that is a direct result of a sacroiliac joint disruption or degenerative sacroiliitis. The procedure involves the insertion of three small, triangular, titanium implants across the SI joint. The procedure is done through a small incision and takes approximately one hour. Clinical studies have demonstrated that treatment with the iFuse Implant improved pain, patient function and quality of life.*

Benefits of the iFuse Implant System:

• Titanium construction designed specifically to stabilize and fuse the SI joint
• Triangular shape minimizes rotation
• Porous titanium surface allows for bony ongrowth/ingrowth

* Polly, D.W., Two-Year Outcomes from Randomized Controlled Trial of Minimally Invasive Sacroiliac Joint Fusion vs. Non-Surgical Management of Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction. Int J Spine Surg. 2016; 10:Article 28.

REFERENCE: "Randomized Trial of Sacroiliac Joint Arthrodesis Compared with Conservative Management for Chronic Low Back Pain Attributed to the Sacroiliac Jointprestigious Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery," published in the prestigious Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.