Anatomical Presentation Of A Sacroplasty Procedure

Description

Sacrum and adjacent posterior pelvis anchor the scene, with the sacral ala flanking the median sacral crest and the dorsal sacral foramina aligned in paired rows lateral to the crest. A percutaneous cannula tracks into the cancellous bone of the sacral wing, oriented toward the central trabecular compartment while remaining medial to the sacroiliac joint and posterior to the pelvic brim. Opacified bone cement occupies a localized cavity within the sacrum, positioned inferior to the L5–S1 junction and superior to the coccygeal apex. Bony landmarks of the ilium and sacroiliac articulation remain visible as spatial references. Sacroplasty is performed most often for painful sacral insufficiency fractures in osteoporotic patients and for selected lytic lesions, where polymethylmethacrylate cement can improve mechanical stability and reduce pain by internal fixation of micro-motion at the fracture site. Needle trajectory matters. This fixed perspective supports teaching of safe access by emphasizing the relationship between the cannula tip, the sacral foramina (and their exiting dorsal rami), and the anterior cortex, where cement extravasation risks involve the presacral soft tissues, sacral nerve roots, and pelvic vessels. The distribution of cement within trabecular bone also provides a practical visual cue for discussing underfilling, overpressurization, and containment near cortical margins. Use this illustration in interventional radiology and spine surgery lectures when outlining technique selection for sacral insufficiency fractures, and in orthopedic trauma or pain medicine texts to contrast sacroplasty with vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. It also suits informed-consent materials that explain where cement is delivered relative to the sacroiliac joint and sacral foramina. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.