New AMA Action: Posterior Intra-Articular Sacroiliac Joint Arthrodesis downgraded to Category III T-Code X034T
“The CPT® Editorial Panel is engaged in an ongoing process improvement effort which currently includes re-examination of the CPT® Category I and Category III criteria. Based on these efforts periodic changes should be expected.”
How the AMA decision will benefit patients
Many doctors were slow to change from placing intra-articular wedge allografts in the SI Joint since insurances were paying for that procedure under the CPT code 27279, which was meant for trans-articular fixation. Many pain doctors were bombarded by companies selling intra-articular allografts, many of which had no FDA-Clearance.
The intra-articular technique is also fairly invasive, requiring drilling and distraction of the joint, which stretches or disrupts the sacroiliac joint ligaments and in many cases, leads to dislodgment of the implant or erosion into the articular surfaces and subsidence. There is also no way to revise or remove these implants. Without the AMA involvement, it is likely that there would be a proliferation of companies emerging to sell intra-articular allografts to Pain Management doctors since Orthopedic surgeons and Neurosurgeons do not believe they offer enough fixation. Patients will benefit from the stronger fixation provided by trans-articular devices such as Sacrix, which has FDA Clearance and clinical and biomechanical research.
Doctor drilling to place a posterior intra-articular allograft used by PainTeq, CornerLoc, SIFix, Omnia, Aurora
The AMA decision means more doctors will be motivated to learn the Sacrix percutaneous lateral-oblique sacroiliac joint fixation technique.
The SI Joint has a large articular surface area but is limited to a width of 4 mm by strong stabilizing ligaments. These ligaments resist distraction of the joint, which will lead to instability. Therefore, if you place a wedge between the joint, there is a high risk of dislodgment, subsidence, or erosion through the articular surface from the tremendous pressures on the graft. The percutaneous lateral-oblique approach allows for compression screw fixation across the sacroiliac joint using a 1.5 cm incision.
Dr. Kingsley R Chin placing the lateral-oblique Sacrix SIJ fixation screw through a 1.5cm percutaneous incision
Benefits of Sacrix
First screw technique for SIJ fixation used by Interventional Pain Management Doctors
First device used by Orthopedic spine surgeons to salvage failed SI-BONE wedges
1.5 cm single incision
Single fluoroscopic view
No drilling or tapping
Compression screw cage
Self-drilling and self-tapping
Self-Harvest bone
3 different cortical cancellous thread types for osteoporosis
Packed with NanoFUSE Biologics for fusion
Used for sacral fractures and sacroplasty
Easy to implant and remove
Avoids the gluteal muscles, vessels and nerves
Compatible with Navigation Technology
Multiple screw lengths and sizes
3D printed porous titanium
Surface coating for osseous integration
Designed by Orthopedic | Neurosurgery | Pain management | Engineering combined team
Sacrix technique avoids disrupting the stabilizing interosseous and posterior sacroiliac ligaments.
Join our weekly webinar to learn more about sacroiliac joint fusion and Sacrix lateral-oblique trans-articular technique.
About Sacrix LLC
Sacrix LLC is a KICVentures Group portfolio company focused on revolutionary percutaneous fluoroscopic lateral-oblique sacroiliac joint fusion technologies for the treatment of sacroiliac dysfunction and sacroiliitis. Sacrix developed its patented Sacrofuse threaded implant to be inserted percutaneously and received FDA clearance in 2015. The Gen1 Sacrofuse implant was compared head-to-head with market leader SI bone (SIBN) and found to have a 400% increase in pull-out strength. Sacrix has trained over 165 interventional pain physicians to perform its revolutionary percutaneous lateral-oblique sacroiliac joint fusion technique safely and effectively through a 1.5 cm incision minimally invasively in outpatient ambulatory surgery centers.
http://www.MySacrix.com
Authors
Dr. Kingsley R. Chin MBA is a board-certified Professor of Orthopedic Spine Surgery and honors graduate of Harvard Medical School and the Harvard Combined Orthopedic Residency Program. He did his spine fellowship with Dr. Henry H Bohlman. He was Chief of Spine Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Jason A. Seale MBA is a medical doctor and entrepreneur. He is the clinical director at the LES Clinic.