When someone suffers from SI (or Sacroiliac) Joint problems, it can restrict day-to-day activities, prohibit movement and put simply, SI Joint problems will limit your life. It is important to talk to your doctor and inform him/her about the exact location of your pain and how the pain has affected your functionality at home, work or during laborious events. Keeping a diary of your daily pain location, the activity you were performing when you experienced the pain along with a 1-10 rating system of how painful it felt will help your doctor understand your condition.
The SI joint fusion surgical procedure is performed to stabilize the sacroiliac joint and relieve painful symptoms caused by sacroiliac joint disruptions or degenerative sacroiliitis.
How is the procedure performed at our facility? At Advanced Spine Surgery Center, we take three titanium implants called the iFuse Implant System and we insert across the SI joint in order to fuse it. This is a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed as an alternative to a traditional open SI joint fusion.
After all other treatment options have been exhausted, SI Joint Fusion procedure offers a viable solution to relieving your pain. Many people can benefit from this minimally invasive surgery because it replaces traditional open SI joint fusion surgery and offers a small incision which provides less tendon irritation. Due to the tiny opening performed during surgery, there is a quicker healing time and patients spend less time in the hospital.
Post surgery patients will need to make sure they have plenty of rest, take anti-inflammatory medication, if prescribed, to reduce inflammation within the joint, attend physical therapy sessions in order to rebuild core strength, receive sacroiliac joint injections, if needed, to relieve pain associated with healing and make sure they attend all follow up visits with their doctor.
