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Andi's Story
- Location
- Washington
- Back Story
- Prior Lumbar Fusion
- iFuse Implant Procedure Date
- January, 2014 Bilateral
I push myself to stay very active because I want to make up for all of the fun I missed out on due to my SI joint pain.
Background
In 1989, Andi was involved in three car accidents that resulted in lower back pain. She continued to have consistent pain and this eventually resulted in an L4-S1 lumbar fusion in 2000. Her pain continued postoperatively and Andi underwent a revision lumbar surgery in 2006.
After Andi’s second surgery, she felt good enough to return to work as an MRI technologist but wasn’t able to return to her full physical activities. In 2010, she began experiencing bilateral buttocks, hip and leg pain. Andi was living independently. She recalls there were many difficult days and that it was hard for her to manage her daily life activities.
Andi returned to her surgeon who had been recently trained on the iFuse Implant System®. After a physical evaluation, the surgeon ordered a diagnostic SI joint injection. The SI joint injection provided Andi with pain relief for 18 hours. Because Andi had significant pain in both SI joints, she was elated when she learned that she was a candidate for a bilateral iFuse procedure. Her insurance company initially denied the iFuse procedure. However, her doctor appealed her case and the insurance company eventually approved the procedure.
Update
Andi received her bilateral iFuse surgery in January 2014. During her recovery, Andi experienced muscle soreness and incisional pain that diminished over time. Andi no longer experiences SI joint pain and keeps herself very busy. “I push myself to stay very active because I want to make up for all of the fun I missed out on due to my SI joint pain.” On her days off, you can find Andi volunteering at the local animal rescue center or standing on the sidelines of the Washington State Athletic football team.
The SI Buddy® program is reserved for patients who have been diagnosed by a trained surgeon and recommended for the iFuse procedure. SI Buddy volunteers have been successfully treated with the iFuse Implant System®. Although many patients have benefited from treatment with the iFuse Implant System, patients' results may vary. They are not medical professionals and their statements should not be interpreted as medical advice.
The iFuse Implant System® is intended for sacroiliac fusion for conditions including sacroiliac joint dysfunction that is a direct result of sacroiliac joint disruption and degenerative sacroiliitis. This includes conditions whose symptoms began during pregnancy or in the peripartum period and have persisted postpartum for more than 6 months. The iFuse Implant System is also intended for sacroiliac fusion to augment immobilization and stabilization of the sacroiliac joint in skeletally mature patients undergoing sacropelvic fixation as a part of a lumbar or thoracolumbar fusion. In addition, the iFuse Implant System is intended for sacroiliac fusion in acute, non-acute, and non-traumatic fractures involving the sacroiliac joint.
There are potential risks associated with the iFuse Implant System. It may not be appropriate for all patients and all patients may not benefit. For information about the risks, talk to your doctor and visit: www.si-bone.com/risks. Rx Only.
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