Back pain conditions with non-radicular pain are a result of sacroiliac (SI) joint pain in 15% to 30% of patients. Many patients fail conservative treatment and proceed to intra or extraarticular steroid injection and radiofrequency ablation. Prevalence rates represent a bimodal distribution with higher rates in younger athletes and the elderly.
However, the etiology of SI joint pain can be intra-articular, such as arthritis and spondyloarthropathies, which tends to be the most common in the elderly. Extraarticular conditions such as ligamentous and muscular injuries and enteropathy are likely the most frequent sources(1,2).
The current theory holds that the injected proliferant mimics the natural healing process of the body by initiating a local inflammatory cascade, which triggers the release of growth factors and collagen deposition. This is accomplished when induced cytokines mediate chemotherapy modulation, which leads to the proliferation and strengthening of new connective tissue, joint stability, and a reduction in pain and dysfunction (3).