Sacroiliac Joint Injection in Patients with Low Back Pain or Buttock Pain: Short-term Follow-up Results

Shim, Jae Hang; Jeon, Woo Jae; Cho, Sang Yoon; Yeom, Jong Hoon; Shin, Woo Jong; Kim, Kyoung Hun

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The sacroiliac joint was suspected to be a cause of low back and buttock pain. However, because of its anatomical location, variant painful areas and inaccurate diagnostic tests, this concept has met with skepticism. METHODS: Thirteen patients (17 sacroiliac joints) that had developed low back pain and buttock pain, which had not been treated with conservative treatment, or other injection technique, were selected for this study. After sacroiliac joint compression and radiological tests, fluoroscopic guided sacroiliac joint injection, with triamcinolone, was performed and then the patients followed up. The VAS (visual analogue scale) was measured before, and 1, 3 and 6 months after, the injection. RESULTS: The pre-injection VAS was 8.1+/-0.5. Following the sacroiliac joint injection, the VAS were 2.7+/-1.1, 3.0+/-1.0 and 3.0+/-1.4 at 1, 3 and 6 months, respectively. At 1 month, 15/17 (88%) were assessed as having a good or fair result. The results were still significant at 3 (82%) and 6 months (77%). There were no complications. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study indicated that a sacroiliac joint injection may be effective in the treatment of clinical sacroiliac joint disease.