He was a surfer, a rodeo rider and a big game hunter, but when back pain struck, Jeff Pellisier was desperate for relief.
"I remember I was on the strongest opium patch you can have," Jeff Pellisier, told Action News.
So he tried a new surgery.
"I was not ready to give up any activities, much less all of them at age 50," Jeff said.
His problem along with a million others who suffer from lower back pain us the sacroiliac or SI joint.
"It's a really strong joint that keeps us standing," Dr. Neel Anand, director of spine trauma minimally invasive spine surgery at Cedars-Sinai spine Center in Los Angeles, explained.
Doctor Neel Anand is one of the first to perform a minimally invasive procedure that uses titanium implants bolted into the pelvis to stabilize the joint.
"In the past we use to open up and go down. Today we have three pins through a small incision of about an inch," Dr. Anand said.
Another difference is recovery time. For traditional fusion surgery it's 6 months, for the minimally invasive procedure it's two weeks. In fact with the new technique patients can go home the next day.
"We basically put in three pins right through the pelvis and lock it into place," Dr. Anand said.
The pins are covered with a plasma spray to help the bone grow around and into the implant for more stability. The day after surgery, Jeff was up and walking. One year out from his operation and he's moving on to more adventurous things
"I've been doing some surfing and some dog sledding," Jeff said.
The implants are not a first line of defense for SI joint sufferers. First steroid shots are used, and then radio frequency ablation then the surgery. The implants will most likely last for life.
If you would like more information, please contact:
Cece Bruce
Administrative Manager
(310) 423-9209
Cecilia.Bruce@cshs.org
