Sacroiliac Joint Fusion Shows Promise in Pain Relief

Dr. Timothy Treible is board certified in orthopedic surgery. He has seen patients at the East Portland Orthopedic and Fracture Clinic and the Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. Dr. Timothy Treible has been interested in helping patients with particularly challenging conditions; one procedure he performed is sacroiliac (SI) joint fusion.

The SI joint is where the lumbar, or lower, spine meets the pelvis. It is particularly vulnerable to painful dysfunction, being the point where the upper body’s weight load is delivered to the lower body. Although SI joint pain can often be resolved with noninvasive therapy, there are certain patients whose symptoms do not abate. In many cases, SI joint fusion provides relief. Fusion surgery, or arthrodesis, literally fuses two bones together, forming a single bone. By taking movement away from the joint, pain is reduced.

Current approaches to SI joint fusion are minimally invasive. A recent study, performed by the National Institutes of Health, reports positive outcomes in terms of pain relief and 100 percent satisfaction among patients. The study, which examined the outcomes of 40 patients, reported no adverse effects from the procedure.