Sacroiliac Joint Fusion: Approaches and Recent Outcomes

The sacroiliac joint may be a primary source of pain in patients complaining of low back and/or buttock pain. Nonsurgical treatment of sacroiliac joint pain typically includes structured core and pelvic muscle flexibility and strengthening; pharmaceutical management through oral and injectable medication; and ablation procedures. For patients who do not improve with comprehensive, nonoperative treatment, surgical fusion of the sacroiliac joint is an option with overall good reported outcomes and high patient satisfaction. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) approaches have been shown to have lower morbidity and earlier recovery than traditional open approaches. To date, the majority of published clinical studies on MIS sacroiliac joint fusion are industry-sponsored and predominantly using one system (ingrowth triangular titanium rods). These include two level 1 randomized controlled trials comparing MIS sacroiliac joint fusion to nonoperative management, with results favoring surgery.