Objective: this study was done to determine the prevalence of the SIJ dysfunction after lumbar or lumbosacral fusion surgery and to identify potential risk factors contributing to it and to assess efficacy of conservative treatment and SIJ injection.
Material and Methods: The study involved 105 patients who operated upon by lumbar or lumbosacral fusion with screws and rods without preoperative sacroiliac joint dysfunction. All cases were operated upon in Al-Azhar university Hospitals between January2021 and January 2022. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction was assessed by pain provocation tests, Oswestry Disability Index and radiological assessment by plain X-Ray and CT scan postoperative.
Results: The study involved 105 patients, 36.2% were males and 63.8% were females. 49 patients (46.67%) developed SIJ dysfunction with mean age 48.3 years old. 48.98% of patients who developed SIJ dysfunction were obese, 67.35% of them were operated upon by multiple segments fixation, 69.39% of them were operated upon by S1 fixation. As regard the management 59.2% of the patients who developed SIJ dysfunction was improved on conservative management according to ODI, while 40.8% of them needed Sacroiliac joint injection 75% improved and 25% patients continued to suffer from sacroiliac joint pain, so they were prepared to Sacroiliac joint radiofrequency denervation, one of them refused the procedure and four patients were had radiofrequency denervation for Sacroiliac joint 1 month after Sacroiliac joint injection, 75% of them had significant more than 50% clinical pain relief and 25% of them had less than 50% clinical pain relief.