[Cervical spondylolisthesis in a 49-year-old female patient (author's transl)]

Lumbar spondylolisthesis is a common condition in patients with low back pain. Cervical spondylolisthesis is however quite rare, about 20 cases have been reported in literature. A characteristic finding of this condition is absence or attenuation of pedicles of the cervical spine. All patients except one were male complaining of neck pain and or radicular pain in the arm. The frequent occurrence in males has also led to the postulation that there is a sex-linked genetic mechanism. Our patient is a second case in female and had neck and radicular pain in the distribution of right sixth cervical root. A myelogram showed an amputation of the root. On the operation a hemilaminectomy with foraminotomy of the C5 root was carried out. The patient has been free from pain after the operation for more than 1 year.