Endoscopic Electrothermic Procedure of the Sacroiliac Joint

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) that lasts for more than six months is estimated to occur in 60-80% of the general population in their lifetime and is associated with substantial healthcare costs. The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) complex is one of the major sources of CLBP, accounting for around 10-33% of the total number of CLBP cases. The SIJ complex consists of the joint capsule, synovia, various muscles and ligamentous structures overlying the join and neuronal structures that innervate the SIJ. Current interventional and surgical treatment options for SIJ complex mediated CLBP include intraarticular and periarticular injection of the joint, SIJ fusion and radio frequency ablation (RFA) of the neuronal structures innervating the SIJ. The described interventional procedures are simple procedures and provides quick pain relief, but the effect is short-lived. In addition, SIJ fusion is an invasive surgical procedure that should be reserved for refractory intractable pain of the SIJ1. New endoscopic electrothermic ablation of the SIJ capsula, synovial and neuronal structures have been utilized in the treatment of facetogenic CLBP in a few number of clinical reports with favorable results, but to our knowledge, the efficacy of this technique when applied to SIJ-associated CLBP has not been reported. In this study, the investigators will utilize endoscopy for the precise microsurgical and ablation (ESIJ) of the potential pain generators associated with the SIJ and evaluate the clinical efficacy of this new technique.