Understanding Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction and Minimally Invasive SI Joint Fusion

If you’ve experienced persistent low back, hip, or buttock pain, sometimes radiating to your legs, you may have also experienced difficulty finding relief. After all, many different conditions can cause pain in this area, making it hard to identify a solution.

A common, though often overlooked, culprit is the sacroiliac (SI) joint. Dysfunction in this crucial joint can be a significant source of chronic lower body pain and a major hindrance to your daily life.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The sacroiliac (SI) joints connect the bottom of the spine to the pelvis and play a major role in supporting the upper body. Injury, physiology, or certain medical conditions can cause the SI joints to move incorrectly, resulting in a painful condition called sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
• Minimally invasive SI joint fusion is an opioid-free treatment that can help stabilize the SI joint and relieve pain. There are two different types of minimally invasive SI joint fusion offered at Twin Cities Pain Clinic, the TORQ and INTRA X. Each one uses small implants to promote natural fusion of the SI joint, but they use different hardware and different approaches for the implants.

Table of Contents

• What is the sacroiliac (SI) joint?
• What causes SI joint pain?
• What does SI joint pain feel like?
• Minimally invasive SI joint fusion
• How does SI joint fusion work?
  • TORQ
  • INTRA X

What is the sacroiliac joint?

The sacroiliac joints are located where the sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine) connects to your pelvis (the iliac bones). These joints play an essential role in supporting the weight of your upper body and absorbing shock forces between your spine and legs.

Unlike most of the more well-known joints, the sacroiliac joints don’t have a wide range of motion. Yet even slight movement or instability in these joints can lead to significant pain. Pain and instability of the SI joint is referred to as sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

What causes sacroiliac joint pain?

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction, or SI joint dysfunction, occurs when there’s an issue with the movement of the SI joints – either too much (hypermobility) or too little (hypomobility). There are many reasons this can happen, including:

• Injury: A fall, car accident, or direct trauma to the pelvis can damage the SI joints.
• Arthritis: Both osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear) and inflammatory arthritis can affect the SI joints.
• Pregnancy: Hormonal changes during pregnancy can relax the ligaments supporting the SI joints, and the added weight and stress can lead to dysfunction.
• Uneven leg length: When one leg is longer than the other, uneven stress is placed on the pelvis and SI joints.
• Prior lumbar fusion: Changes in spinal structure and movement after a lower back fusion can sometimes lead to SI joint issues.
• Repetitive stress: Activities involving repetitive twisting, heavy lifting, or repeated impact can strain the SI joints over time.
• Idiopathic causes: Sometimes, the cause of SI joint dysfunction is unknown.

What does sacroiliac joint pain feel like?

Pain from SI joint dysfunction can vary from person to person, but common symptoms include:

• Low back pain: Usually felt only on one side.
• Buttock pain: A deep ache that can radiate into the hip and upper thigh.
• Groin pain: In some cases, pain can extend into the groin area.
• Pain that increases with certain activities: Pain often worsens with common activities such as prolonged sitting, standing, walking, climbing stairs, or twisting.
• Stiffness: Feelings of stiffness commonly occur in the hips and lower back.
• A feeling of instability in the pelvis: The pelvis may feel misaligned and cause an unusual gait and difficulty walking.

Minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion

If you suffer from chronic SI joint pain and haven’t found adequate relief from conservative treatments like physical therapy, pain medication, and injections, a minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion procedure is a promising option.

This advanced surgical technique stabilizes the SI joint by creating a natural, bony bridge across it, effectively stopping the painful abnormal movement. Unlike traditional open surgery, the minimally invasive approach offers several significant advantages:

• Smaller incisions: Typically involving just one or two small incisions (often less than one inch).
• Less tissue damage: Minimized disruption to surrounding muscles and soft tissues reduces the likelihood of post-surgical nerve damage.
• Reduced blood loss: Decreased loss of blood during the procedure leads to a lower risk of complications such as infection and heart issues.
• Shorter post-op stays: Most patients can go home the same day, usually withing a couple of hours after the procedure.
• Faster recovery: Recovery is generally measured in weeks, instead of months, allowing you to get back to enjoying life sooner.

How does minimally invasive SI joint fusion work?

Twin Cities Pain Clinic proudly offers two SI joint fusion procedures – the iFuse TORQ^® and the iFuse INTRA X^®. These ultra-minimally invasive procedures support natural fusion of the SI joint, relieving chronic pain without opioids.

During these procedures, our skilled surgeons use x-ray guidance to precisely place a series of implants implants into the SI joint.

The TORQ procedure utilizes a series of specially crafted titanium screws which are implanted through the SI joint. The textured outer layer of the screws promotes natural fusion with the surrounding bone and forms an incredibly strong bond.

The INTRA X procedure utilizes two small cylindrical implants made of bone allograft. The implants are inserted through a tiny incision and directly into the joint space, where they fuse with surrounding tissue.

These implants stabilize the sacroiliac joint, preventing the abnormal joint movement that causes pain. Over time, bone naturally grows onto and around the implants, creating a solid fusion that provides long-term stability and significant pain relief.

The minimally invasive approach allows our surgeons to perform these procedures with remarkable accuracy and efficiency, all while minimizing the risks and recovery time associated with traditional open surgery. The procedure only takes about one hour to complete and can provide long-term relief from sacroiliac joint pain.

Minimally invasive SI joint fusion at Twin Cities Pain Clinic

If you’re experiencing chronic low back, hip, or buttock pain and conservative treatments haven’t provided sufficient relief, minimally invasive SI joint fusion could be a life-changing option.

At Twin Cities Pain Clinic, our experienced pain management specialists are experts in accurately diagnosing sacroiliac joint pain and administering the iFuse SI joint fusion procedures to relieve chronic pain.

We understand the impact chronic pain can have on your life, and we’re committed to helping you find lasting relief and regain your quality of life.

Don’t let SI joint dysfunction keep you sidelined. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion can help you find the relief you deserve.

DISCLAIMER
The contents of this article are intended for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with a physician or other qualified healthcare provider before engaging in any action or decision-making based on the content of this article. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice or treatment because of the content of this article or any other content on the Twin Cities Pain Clinic website. Reliance on any information conveyed on the Twin Cities Pain Clinic website without direct consultation with a healthcare professional is solely at your own risk.