ISTHMIC SPONDYLOLISTHESIS

Course overview

SPONDYLOLISTHESIS OCCURS WHEN THERE IS AN ANTERIOR SUBLUXATION OR “SLIPPAGE” OF THE VERTEBRAL BODY ABOVE ON THE VERTEBRAL BODY BELOW. IN MOST CASES, SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH SPONDYLOLISTHESIS ARE CHRONIC. THE PRIMARY SYMPTOM OF CHRONIC SPONDYLOLISTHESIS IS BACK PAIN, WITH OR WITHOUT LEG PAIN. WHEN SPONDYLOLISTHESIS OCCURS ACUTELY IN THE SETTING OF TRAUMATIC OR METASTATIC TUMORS, PATIENTS CAN PRESENT WITH NEUROLOGICAL EXAMINATION DEFICITS INCLUDING A LOSS OF BOWEL AND BLADDER FUNCTION. THERE ARE MANY CAUSES OF SPONDYLOLISTHESIS INCLUDING CONGENITAL, DEGENERATIVE, TRAUMATIC, PATHOLOGIC, IATROGENIC, AND ISTHMIC. AND ISTHMIC SPONDYLOLISTHESIS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSE OF ISTHMIC SPONDYLOLISTHESIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.