BACKGROUND: Sacroiliac joint pain (SJP) constitutes a substantial proportion of back pain cases, is difficult to diagnose, and requires a range of treatment options based on severity, comorbidities, and available clinical resources.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effectiveness and safety of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with the Simplicity III (Abbott) strip-lesioning device (SLD) for SJP in a diverse population of patients with chronic pain.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review.

METHODS: We collected data from patients who underwent RFA of the lateral branches of S1–S4 in an outpatient setting. Primary outcomes included patient-reported percentage of pain relief, changes in Pain Disability Index (PDI) scores, and daily morphine equivalent dose (MED).

RESULTS: A total of 115 patients were included: 83 women (72.2%) and 32 men (27.8%), with a mean age of 59.5 years. Mean pain relief at 36.1 days (range, 10–84 days) was 64.1% (SD, 24.2%; range, 0%–100%; IQR, 50%–80%); 103 patients (89.6%) reported relief of 50% or more. PDI scores decreased by 2.8 points (SD, 19.4, P = 0.125), and MED decreased by 0.7 (SD, 7.2, P = 0.188); neither change was statistically significant. No statistically significant associations were found between percentage pain relief and demographic characteristics (age, gender, body mass index), baseline clinical characteristics (PDI, MED, psychological comorbidities), or procedure laterality. Two minor adverse events were recorded.

LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design, single center, and inconsistent follow-up intervals.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that RFA with the Simplicity III SLD for SJP is generally a safe and effective intervention for patients in this population overall, though a higher-powered study would be needed to compare subgroups in terms of age, co-morbidities, function, gender, and MED.

KEYWORDS: Sacroiliac joint pain; radiofrequency ablation; strip lesioning; interventional pain management