The sacroiliac joint, which is a small, flexible joint located within the pelvis and acts as a buffer between the hip and the lumbar spine. Unfortunately, it is a typical source of pain and inflammation. Symptoms that you may experience due to degenerative or injury are lower back, buttock and thigh pain in addition to difficulty sitting in one place for too long. If Dr. Raskas determines that surgery is necessary, it will typically involve fusing the sacrum and the pelvic bone together, which makes the joint rigid and inflexible. By eliminating movement and flexion within the joint, pain and pressure is relieved. The end result is stabilization – allowing you to return to an active lifestyle and regain the ability to perform the daily tasks that keep life moving forward

How Does this Procedure Work?

Dr. Raskas will make a small incision along the side of your buttock and will use live imaging during the procedure to assure proper placement of the implants which are inserted across the SI joint where the two bones are held together with the help of screws and plates until they fuse (grow together into one bone). This actually stops the movement between the bones and eliminates joint pain.

Because every patient is unique and treatment options range from minimally invasive back surgery to advanced surgical procedures, recovery varies greatly among his patients and is dependent on the extent of your surgery, age and health.

For more information about a SI joint fusion or other spinal surgery options to treat back pain, contact Dr. David S. Raskas at 314-442-4452.