Comparing genuine and sham surgery for sacroiliac joint pain using self-assessments, pain testing, and neuroimaging.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Contrasting active treatment against a placebo has long been the gold standard in clinical medicine. The possible impact of placebo responses in surgery has recently been investigated using sham surgery. Despite indications that both genuine and placebo surgeries may lead to positive outcomes, no investigation into the differential routes to improvement has been performed.

Objectives

To assess the mechanisms involved in improvements seen in patients with sacroiliac joint pain who undergo genuine or placebo surgery.

Methods

This randomized controlled trial incorporated both subjective and objective assessments, including functional magnetic resonance imaging and experimental pain testing, at baseline and 6-month follow-up in a surgical trial including pati

SUBMITTER: Ponten M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12503142 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature