Clinical spine surgery
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The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) as a source of symptoms has been controversial; however, as knowledge about the joint increased, its role as a pain generator in patients complaining of symptoms that are often attributed to spinal pathology has become better appreciated. The literature reports that the SIJ is the pain origin in as many as 30% of patients presenting with low back pain. Clinically, the SIJ can be challenging to evaluate; however, assessing pain location, patient posture/movement, and provocative manual testing are useful in making the presumptive diagnosis of SIJ disruption. ⋯ If this does not provide adequate relief, surgical intervention, in the form of minimally invasive SIJ fusion may be considered. The literature increasingly supports favorable results of SIJ fusion in appropriately selected patients. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the current literature on the SIJ, with focus on its surgical treatment.