Sacroiliac Fusion (SI Fusion) in Staten Island

Sacroiliac Fusion at our Staten Island, NY location offers a minimally invasive surgical solution for chronic SI joint pain that has been confirmed through careful diagnostic evaluation, bringing expert SI joint care directly to Staten Island patients.

Chronic Pelvic and Lower Back Pain May Have a Clearer Source Than You Think

The sacroiliac joint is one of the most consistently underdiagnosed sources of chronic lower back, buttock, and pelvic pain. Its symptoms overlap closely with lumbar disc disease and radiculopathy, and many patients spend considerable time in treatment directed at the wrong structure. When a careful diagnostic process confirms the SI joint as the source and conservative care has not provided lasting relief, SI Fusion offers a precise, minimally invasive path to permanent stabilization.

At Gerling Spine Care and Research Institute, Staten Island patients benefit from a team that takes diagnostic accuracy as seriously as surgical technique, now available close to home. Contact our Staten Island office today to find out whether SI Fusion is right for you.

What Is Sacroiliac Fusion?

Sacroiliac Fusion is a minimally invasive procedure that permanently stabilizes the SI joint by placing titanium implants or bone graft material across the joint under fluoroscopic or navigation guidance.

This eliminates the painful micro-motion at the joint surface and promotes biological fusion over time, producing lasting structural stability and a significant reduction in the chronic pain and inflammation the joint was generating.

The Role of the Sacroiliac Joint

The SI joint connects the sacrum at the base of the spine to the iliac bone of the pelvis on each side of the body. Its primary function is stability rather than movement, transferring load from the upper body to the lower extremities through a dense network of surrounding ligaments. When this stability is compromised through injury, degeneration, or inflammation, the resulting pain can be severe, persistent, and difficult to attribute correctly without a targeted diagnostic evaluation.

Why Minimally Invasive Technique Matters

The minimally invasive approach to SI fusion uses a small incision, causes significantly less tissue disruption than open surgery, results in reduced blood loss, and supports a faster and more comfortable recovery. Most patients are ambulatory within 24 hours and discharged within one to two days of the procedure.

We’re here to help you move forward.

Medical professional applying pressure to someone's lower back

Conditions Treated With SI Fusion

SI Fusion is considered when the sacroiliac joint has been confirmed as the primary pain generator and conservative care has not produced lasting relief. Appropriate conditions include:

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction or instability
Sacroiliitis from degenerative or inflammatory causes
Degenerative arthritis of the SI joint
Post-traumatic SI joint injury or disruption
Post-partum SI joint instability
Adjacent segment stress following lumbar fusion at L5-S1
Chronic SI joint pain confirmed through diagnostic injection that has not responded to therapeutic injections

Are You a Candidate for SI Fusion in Staten Island?

Good candidates have chronic lower back, buttock, or pelvic pain lasting six months or more, confirmed as originating from the SI joint through diagnostic injection, that has not responded adequately to physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, and therapeutic SI joint injections.

Overall health, the specific cause of SI joint dysfunction, and the absence of other significant pain generators all factor into candidacy. Our Staten Island team conducts a thorough evaluation before recommending surgical intervention, and will not proceed to fusion without the diagnostic foundation that gives the procedure its best chance of producing meaningful and lasting relief.

What to Expect From SI Fusion in Staten Island

From your first appointment through your full recovery, our team provides individualized guidance and support at every stage of your care.

Before Your Sacroiliac Fusion

Your consultation will include a detailed review of your symptoms, imaging, and prior treatments, including all prior injection history. Diagnostic SI joint injections are used to confirm the joint as the pain source before any surgical recommendation is made. Our team ensures every patient is fully informed and prepared before any decision is made.

The Day of Your Surgery

The procedure is minimally invasive and typically completed in under an hour. A small incision is made, and implants are placed across the SI joint under fluoroscopic or navigation guidance. Most Staten Island patients are ambulatory the following day and discharged within one to two days.

Recovering After Your Procedure

Most patients notice meaningful improvement in pain within the first few weeks as stabilization reduces the micro-motion responsible for their symptoms. Full biological fusion of the SI joint, confirmed by imaging, typically takes six to twelve months. Physical therapy begins several weeks after surgery, focused on core stability and lower extremity strengthening. Our team monitors your progress closely and remains actively involved throughout recovery.

Why Choose Gerling Spine Care and Research Institute?

SI joint dysfunction rewards careful diagnosis and precise surgical technique in equal measure, and our Staten Island team brings both. As part of a practice that manages the full spectrum of conditions producing lower back and pelvic pain, we are uniquely positioned to confirm the SI joint as the right target before recommending fusion.

For Staten Island patients, that combination of diagnostic rigor and surgical expertise is now available close to home.

Sacroiliac Fusion (SI Fusion) Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my pain is coming from the SI joint?

SI joint pain is often felt just below the beltline on one side of the body and typically worsens with prolonged sitting, standing, or transitional movements. Unlike nerve-related pain, it usually does not follow a distinct pattern down the leg. A guided diagnostic SI joint injection is the most reliable way to confirm the SI joint as the source of pain and is an important part of the evaluation process before treatment is recommended.

How is SI fusion different from spinal fusion?

Both procedures stabilize joints by promoting bone fusion, but SI fusion treats the sacroiliac joint between the sacrum and pelvis, while spinal fusion joins vertebrae within the spine. The surgical techniques, implant systems, and recovery processes differ between the two procedures.

Will SI fusion limit my movement?

The sacroiliac joint normally has very little movement, so fusion has minimal impact on overall mobility for most patients. The procedure is designed to eliminate painful joint motion while preserving normal activities such as walking, sitting, and standing.

What if my SI joint injections have not provided lasting relief?

Temporary pain relief from a diagnostic SI joint injection can still confirm that the SI joint is the source of your symptoms, even if the relief does not last. Patients who have confirmed SI joint pain but have not achieved long-term improvement with injections may be good candidates for minimally invasive SI joint fusion.

How successful is minimally invasive SI fusion?

Clinical studies show that approximately 80% of appropriately selected patients experience meaningful and lasting pain relief after minimally invasive SI joint fusion. Success is highest when the SI joint has been accurately identified as the primary source of pain and the procedure is performed by an experienced surgical team.