title: Sacroiliac Joint Fusion: One Year Clinical and Radiographic Results Following Minimally Invasive Sacroiliac Joint Fusion Surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recalcitrant sacroiliac joint pain responds well to minimally-invasive surgical (MIS) techniques, although long-term radiographic and fusion data are limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the one-year clinical results from a cohort of patients with chronic sacroiliac (SI) joint pain unresponsive to conservative therapies who have undergone minimally invasive SI joint fusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  SI joint fusion was performed between May 2011 and January 2014. Outcomes included radiographic assessment of fusion status, leg and back pain severityviavisual analog scale (VAS), disabilityviaOswestry Disability Index (ODI) and complication rate. Outcomes were measured at baseline and at follow-up appointments 6 months and 12 months post-procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty minimally invasive SI joint fusion procedures were performed on 18 patients (mean age: 47.2 (14.2), mean BMI: 29.4 (5.3), 56% female). At 12 months, the overall fusion rate was 88%. Back and leg pain improved from 81.7 to 44.1 points (p<0.001) and from 63.6 to 27.7 points (p=0.001), respectively. Disability scores improved from 61.0 to 40.5 (p=0.009). Despite a cohort containing patients with multiple comorbidities and work-related injuries, eight patients (50%) achieved the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in back pain at 12 months, with 9 (69%) patients realizing this improvement in leg pain and 8 (57%) realizing the MCID in ODI scores at 12 months. No major complications were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Minimally invasive SI joint surgery is a safe and effective procedure, with a high fusion rate, a satisfactory safety profile and significant improvements in pain severity and disability reported through 12 months post-procedure.
authors.affiliation: Prairie Spine & Pain Institute, 7620 N University St., Peoria, IL 61614, USA.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kube
authors.affiliation: Motion Research, 3-35 Stone Church Rd., Suite 215, Ancaster, ON L9K 1S4, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Muir
keywords: Low back pain; Minimally-invasive surgery; Sacroiliac joint; Sacroiliac joint fusion