Spondylolisthesis

In spondylolisthesis, one of the bones in your spine — called a vertebra — slips forward and out of place. This may occur anywhere along the spine, but is most common in the lower back (lumbar spine). In some people, this causes no symptoms at all. Others may have back and leg pain that ranges from mild to severe.

Many types of spondylolisthesis can affect adults. The two most common types are degenerative and spondylolytic. There are other less common types of spondylolisthesis, such as slippage caused by a recent, severe fracture or a tumor.

Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

As we age, general wear and tear causes changes in the spine. Intervertebral disks begin to dry out and weaken. They lose height, become stiff, and begin to bulge. This disc degeneration is the start to both arthritis and degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS).

As arthritis develops, it weakens the joints and ligaments that hold your vertebrae in the proper position. The ligament along the back of your spine (ligamentum flavum) may begin to buckle. One of the vertebrae on either side of a worn, flattened disk can loosen and move forward over the vertebra below it.

This slippage can narrow the spinal canal and put pressure on the spinal cord. This narrowing of the spinal canal is called spinal stenosis and is a common problem in patients with DS.

Spondylolytic spondylolisthesis

In spondylolysis, a fracture often occurs at the pars interarticularis.

One of the bones in your lower back can break and this can cause a vertebra to slip forward. The break most often occurs in the area of your lumbar spine called the pars interarticularis.

In most cases of spondylolytic spondylolisthesis, the pars fracture occurs during adolescence and goes unnoticed until adulthood. The normal disc degeneration that occurs in adulthood can then stress the pars fracture and cause the vertebra to slip forward. This type of spondylolisthesis is most often seen in middle-aged men.

Because a pars fracture causes the front (vertebra) and back (lamina) parts of the spinal bone to disconnect, only the front part slips forward. This means that narrowing of the spinal canal is less likely than in other kinds of spondylolisthesis, such as DS in which the entire spinal bone slips forward.

About 4% to 6% of the U.S. population has spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis. Most of these people live with the condition for many years without any pain or other symptoms.

Symptoms of Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

Patients with DS often visit the doctor’s office once the slippage has begun to put pressure on the spinal nerves. Although the doctor may find arthritis in the spine, the symptoms of DS are typically the same as symptoms of spinal stenosis. For example, DS patients often develop leg and/or lower back pain. The most common symptoms in the legs include a feeling of vague weakness associated with prolonged standing or walking.

Leg symptoms may be accompanied by numbness, tingling, and/or pain that is often affected by posture. Forward bending or sitting often relieves the symptoms because it opens up space in the spinal canal. Standing or walking often increases symptoms.

Symptoms of Spondylolytic Spondylolisthesis

Most patients with spondylolytic spondylolisthesis do not have pain and are often surprised to find they have the slippage when they see it in x-rays. They typically visit a doctor with low back pain related to activities. The back pain is sometimes accompanied by leg pain.

Nonsurgical Treatment

Although nonsurgical treatments will not repair the slippage, many patients report that these methods do help relieve symptoms.

Physical Therapy and Exercise

Specific exercises can strengthen and stretch your lower back and abdominal muscles.

Medication

Analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines may relieve pain.

Steroid Injections

Cortisone is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Cortisone injections around the nerves or in the “epidural space” can decrease swelling, as well as pain. It is not recommended to receive these, however, more than three times per year. These injections are more likely to decrease pain and numbness, but not weakness of the legs.

Surgical Treatment

Surgical candidates with DS. Surgery for degenerative spondylolisthesis is generally reserved for the patient who does not improve after a trial of nonsurgical treatment for at least 3 to 6 months.

In making a decision about surgery, your doctor will also take into account the extent of arthritis in your spine, as well as whether your spine has excessive movement.

DS patients who are candidates for surgery often are unable to walk or stand, and have a poor quality of life due to the pain and weakness.

Surgical Procedures

Surgery for both DS and spondylolytic spondylolisthesis includes removing the pressure from the nerves and spinal fusion.

Removing the pressure involves opening up the spinal canal. This procedure is called a laminectomy.

Patients with symptoms that have not responded to nonsurgical treatment for at least 6 to12 months may be candidates for surgery.

If the slippage is getting worse or the patient has progressive neurologic symptoms, such as weakness, numbness, or falling, and/or symptoms of cauda equina syndrome, surgery may help.

Spinal Fusion

Spinal fusion is essentially a “welding” process. The basic idea is to fuse together the painful vertebrae so that they heal into a single, solid bone.

In spinal fusion, screws are often used to help stabilize the spine.
Surgical candidates with spondylolytic spondylolisthesis.