1 Recommendations

1 Recommendations

1.1 iFuse implant system is recommended as an option for treating chronic sacroiliac joint pain.

1.2 iFuse should be considered for use in people with a confirmed diagnosis of chronic sacroiliac joint pain (based on clinical assessment and a positive response to a diagnostic injection of local anaesthetic in the sacroiliac joint) and whose pain is inadequately controlled by non-surgical management.

Why the committee made these recommendations

The clinical evidence suggests that using iFuse implant system to treat chronic sacroiliac pain is likely to lead to less pain, reduced disability and a better quality of life compared with non-surgical management.

This guidance was amended in 2022 to include the iFuse-3D implant, which evidence suggests may be clinically equivalent to the original iFuse implant.

Cost modelling indicates that iFuse is cost incurring until year 9, when using iFuse with the original implants instead of non-surgical management will save the NHS around £230 per person. Using iFuse-3D will be cost incurring until year 10 when it becomes cost saving (£172 per patient). It is likely that savings will then increase over time. Savings mainly come from fewer steroid joint injections and less pain relief medication with iFuse compared with non-surgical management. [2022]

  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)