A new study published in Spine examines the rationale for surgically treating lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis.
The researchers surveyed Lumbar Spine Research Society members and AOSpine members for information about their preferred treatment for degenerative spondylolisthesis in multiple scenarios. There were 223 surgeons surveyed. The researchers found:
1. Several factors had an affect on recommended treatment independent of surgeon factors, including:
• Patient age
• Presence of instability
• Low back pain
2. Surgeons reported being less likely to offer interbody fusion to older patients and more likely to recommend an isolated decompression.
3. The presence of instability increased the likelihood surgeons would offer interbody fusion instead of isolated decompression.
4. Slightly more than half — 53.2 percent — of the surgeons reported they'd recommend an isolated decompression for the properly-selected patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis.
5. The most common operative treatment for degenerative spondylolisthesis is decompression and fusion, but the survey results show surgeons consider degenerative spondylolisthesis a "heterogeneous condition" requiring an individualized surgical plan, concluded the study authors.