History of Sacroiliac Joint Fusion and Recent Clinical Results

The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) has been known as the pain source of low back pain for many years. The reported prevalence varied widely, ranging from 15% to 30% [1–3]. The SIJs play an important role in force transmission from the spinal column to the pelvis and are firmly supported by ligamentous structures. Although the motion of the SIJ is small, a previous stereoradiographic study demonstrated the translation of 0.5–1.0 mm and rotation of 1–2° in vivo [4]. There were four representative etiologies of SIJ disturbance: trauma, postpartum, post-lumbar fusion, and osteoarthritis. There have been several nonoperative treatments reported: medications, physical therapy, therapeutic injections, and radiofrequency ablation [5–9]; however, SIJ fusion surgery has sometimes been chosen for intractable cases.