[Degenerative spondylolisthesis]

Results of surgical treatment for degenerative spondylolisthesis in 31 patients are presented. Disabling lumbar and radicular pain not responding to conservative treatment was the indication for surgery in all cases. Twenty-six patients underwent neural decompression and segmental fusion; in 5 patients with no radicular symptoms fusion alone has been performed. In 15 patients with partially preserved intervertebral disc the fusion embraced the pedicle and processus transversus, in other 15 with damaged disc posterior fusion was done and in one case intervertebral fusion was performed. In 7 cases of posterior fusion a wire loop was used for internal stabilization of vertebrae. There were 28 good and fair results (91%) and in 3 patients no improvement was attained. The authors conclude surgical treatment according to the indications presented in this paper is the most beneficial mode of treatment for degenerative spondylolisthesis.