SACROILIAC JOINT - PAIN REFERRAL MAPS UPON APPLYING A NEW INJECTION ARTHROGRAPHY TECHNIQUE .1. ASYMPTOMATIC VOLUNTEERS

Study Design. Pain pattern mapping of the sacroiliac joint in asymptom atic volunteers was investigated. Prospective evaluation of 10 volunte ers who received sacroiliac joint injections was performed. The inject ions consisted of contrast material followed by Xylocaine. Objectives. To determine the pain referral pattern of the sacroiliac joint in asy mptomatic individuals Summary of Background Data. All 10 individuals e xperienced discomfort upon initial injection, with the most significan t sensation felt directly around the injection site. Subsequent sensor y examination revealed an area of hypesthesia running caudally from th e posterior superior iliac spine. Methods. Volunteers were asked to de scribe the nature and location of the sensation upon sacroiliac inject ion. Sensory examination immediately followed the injection to determi ne referral patterns. Results. Sensory examination immediately after s acroiliac injection revealed an area of buttock hypesthesia extending approximately 10 cm caudally and 3 cm laterally from the posterior sup erior iliac spine. This area of hypesthesia corresponded to the area o f maximal pain noted upon injection. Conclusion. A pain referral map w as successfully generated using provocative injections into the right sacroiliac joint in asymptomatic volunteers.