Current concepts in the treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis

Abstract

Degenerative spondylolisthesis is one of the commonest spinal pathologies encountered in the aging population. The clinical presentation of degenerative spondylolisthesis can be highly variable, and a large proportion of patients can be managed non-operatively. Operative treatment is reserved for patients with activity limiting disability. Decompression alone can be offered to patients with no radiological or clinical evidence of segmental instability. Fusion procedures have shown high rates of clinical success, although long-term effects such as adjacent segment degeneration have spurred the evolution of non-fusion technologies. These newer options have shown evidence of motion preservation, although long-term clinical benefits have yet to be confirmed.

Keywords

• degenerative
• spondylolisthesis
• treatment