Percutaneous fusion of the sacroiliac joint with hollow modular anchorage screws: clinical and radiological outcome

J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2009 May;91(5):627-31. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.91B5.21519.

Abstract

We reviewed 15 consecutive patients, 11 women and four men, with a mean age of 48.7 years (37.3 to 62.6), who between July 2004 and August 2007 had undergone percutaneous sacroiliac fusion using hollow modular anchorage screws filled with demineralised bone matrix. Each patient was carefully assessed to exclude other conditions and underwent pre-operative CT and MR scans. The diagnosis of symptomatic sacroiliac disease was confirmed by an injection of local anaesthetic and steroid under image intensifier control. The short form-36 questionnaire and Majeed's scoring system were used for pre- and post-operative functional evaluation. Post-operative radiological evaluation was performed using plain radiographs. Intra-operative blood loss was minimal and there were no post-operative clinical or radiological complications. The mean follow-up was for 17 months (9 to 39). The mean short form-36 scores improved from 37 (23 to 51) to 80 (67 to 92) for physical function and from 53 (34 to 73) to 86 (70 to 98) for general health (p = 0.037). The mean Majeed's score improved from 37 (18 to 54) pre-operatively to 79 (63 to 96) post-operatively (p = 0.014). There were 13 good to excellent results. The remaining two patients improved in short form-36 from a mean of 29 (26 to 35) to 48 (44 to 52). Their persistent pain was probably due to concurrent lumbar pathology. We conclude that percutaneous hollow modular anchorage screws are a satisfactory method of achieving sacroiliac fusion.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bone Screws*
  • Female
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Internal Fixators*
  • Joint Diseases* / diagnostic imaging
  • Joint Diseases* / surgery
  • Low Back Pain* / diagnostic imaging
  • Low Back Pain* / surgery
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Movement
  • Sacroiliac Joint* / diagnostic imaging
  • Sacroiliac Joint* / surgery
  • Spinal Fusion / methods*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome