Researchers analyzed whether certain degenerative spondylolisthesis patients are treatable with isolated decompression, according to a Clinical Spine Surgery study.
The study compared decompression alone to decompression and instrumented fusion for patients with DS.
Here are five observations:
1. Researchers discovered several characteristics associated with worse outcomes following decompression alone:
• A facet angle greater than 50 degrees
• Disc space greater than 6.5 mm
• Existence of low back pain instead of lower extremity pain
• Existence of listhetic level hypermobility on dynamic radiographs
2. Many of the reviewed studies revealed similar clinical outcomes with both procedures.
3. In terms of long-term follow-up, though, fusion may offer better outcomes.
4. Surgeons may achieve positive outcomes with isolated decompression in certain patients, and forgo the costlier and riskier addition of instrumentation and spinal fusion.
5. Researchers also suggested noninstrumented fusion for specific patients to reduce instrumentation complications.