Operative treatment of degenerative lumbar spine spondylolisthesis

Abstract

Introduction: Management of degenerative lumbosacral spondylolisthesis with spinal stenosis is still controversial. Surgery is widely used, as well as non-surgical treatment.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical results and functional outcome after operative treatment in Grade II and III lumbar spine spondylolisthesis.

Material and methods: Twelve patients with symptoms and image-confirmed degenerative spondylolisthesis entered the study. Mean patient age was 57 years. Spondylolisthesis Grade II or III, segment L4-L5 or L5-S1 were evaluated. All patients underwent similar protocols. Operative treatment was decompressive laminectomy, posterior one segment fixation, and fusion with autologous bone grafting. Functional outcome measures were Visual Analog Scale (VAS, 10-point scale) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI, 100-percent scale) after 6 and 12 months.

Results: Patient follow-up was 12 months. Preoperatively, 7 patients had severe disability according to ODI, 4 had moderate disability. VAS measured 6 and 7 points in 6 patients, lowest score of 4 points and the highest score of 9. After 6 months, ODI showed 5 patients had minimal and 7 had moderate disability; 2 patients had 0 points on the VAS, 2 had a score of 1, 4 had a score of 2, highest score of 4 points. Treatment outcome effects after 1 year were 9 patients with minimal disability, 3 with moderate; VAS - 2 patients with O points, 3 with 1 point, 4 with 2 points.

Conclusion: Patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis treated surgically showed substantially greater improvement in pain and functional outcome during a period of 1 year.