Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Zhongguo Gu Shang 2019 Oct;32(10):965-970

Department of Orthopaedics, Tianyou Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China;

Objective: To compare the clinical results between the Wiltse approach and traditional approach in lumbar fusion.

Methods: The clinical data of 70 patients with lumbar disc herniation or lumbar spondylolisthesis within Meyerding II degree who underwent lumbar fusion surgery from May 2016 to May 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the surgical approach, the patients were divided into Wiltse approach group and traditional approach group. Read More

World Neurosurg 2020 May 17. Epub 2020 May 17.

Department of Orthopedics, Changzheng Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital of Second Military Medical University, 415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai 200003, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Objective: To propose and validate a novel and comprehensive classification of lumbosacral spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis in the pediatric population according to surgical managements.

Methods: Cases of pediatric lumbosacral (L5/S1 level) spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis were reviewed. Lumbar Japanese Orthopedics Association (JOA) score, health related quality of life (HRQOL) which was assessed, spondylolisthesis, lumbosacral disc degenerative, and dysplastic features were included for evaluation of outcomes after surgery. Read More

Spine Deform 2019 11;7(6):945-949

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Study Design: Retrospective comparative case series.

Objectives: Evaluation of sacral morphology in spondylolisthesis patients compared with asymptomatic controls.

Summary Of Background Data: Patients with spondylolisthesis are known to differ from asymptomatic controls in sagittal plane anatomy, but few studies examine the coronal and axial plane differences in these cohorts. Read More

J Neurosurg Spine 2019 Oct;32(2):155-159

1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Japan Community Healthcare Organization Osaka Hospital, Osaka City, Osaka.

Objective: Cortical bone trajectory (CBT) screw insertion through a caudomedial starting point provides advantages in limiting dissection of the superior facet joints and reducing muscle dissection and the risk of superior-segment facet violation by the screw. These advantages of the cephalad CBT screw can result in lower rates of early cephalad adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) after posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) with CBT screw fixation (CBT-PLIF) than those after PLIF using traditional trajectory screw fixation (TT-PLIF). Here, the authors investigated early cephalad ASD after CBT-PLIF and compared these results with those after TT-PLIF. Read More

J Orthop Sci 2019 Nov 21;24(6):969-973. Epub 2019 Sep 21.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Kasumi 1-2-3, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan.

Background: Recently, several authors reported that a high pelvic incidence (PI) might be a predisposing factor to the development of anterior slip in the vertebral body in degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS). The purpose of this study was to analyze patients with DS using a multiple linear regression model, in terms of the correlation between the sagittal spinopelvic parameters and the severity of slip in each lumbar spine, including both anterior and posterior directions.

Methods: Standing lateral radiographs were taken of 104 patients (59 women and 45 men) with lower back pain. Read More

J Am Osteopath Assoc 2019 Sep;119(9):622-630

Modern human bipedality is unique and requires lumbar lordosis, whereas chimpanzees, our closest relatives, have short lumbar spines rendering them incapable of lordosis. To facilitate lordosis, humans have longer lumbar spines, greater lumbosacral angle, dorsally wedged lumbar vertebral bodies, and lumbar zygapophyseal joints with both increasingly coronal orientation and further caudal interfacet distances. These features limit modern lower lumbar spine and lumbosacral joint ailments, albeit imperfectly. Read More

Clin J Sport Med 2019 07;29(4):262-266

Department of Physical Therapy, Sapporo Medical University School of Health Sciences, Sapporo, Japan.

Objective: To examine the effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on early-stage spondylolysis in young athletes.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: A single outpatient orthopedic and sports clinic. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2019 Sep 14;67:156-162. Epub 2019 Jun 14.

Department of Neurosurgery, Suwon Leon Wiltse Memorial Hospital, Suwon, Republic of Korea.

Reduction of the slipped vertebra as a part of surgical approach is still debatable. The author investigated the usefulness of percutaneous reduction fixation system for the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis via a comparison with traditional open pedicle screw fixation after posterior decompression and interbody fusion. This study included 65 patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis, who underwent either open transpedicular screw fixation (OTPSF) with posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) (OTPSF group, n = 33) or PPSF with reduction system (PPSFr group, n = 32) after PLIF. Read More

Spine Deform 2019 07;7(4):509-516

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1800 Orleans St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. Electronic address:

Sacropelvic fixation is indicated in various clinical settings, most notably long spinal arthrodesis, reduction of high-grade spondylolisthesis, and complex sacral fractures. The sacropelvis is characterized by complex regional anatomy and poor bone quality. These factors make achieving solid fusion across the lumbosacral junction challenging. Read More

Orthopade 2019 Oct;48(10):849-857

Wirbelsäulenorthopädie und Rekonstruktive Orthopädie, Sana Klinikum Offenbach, Offenbach, Deutschland.

Background: Intraspinal lumbar vertebral joint cysts are an unusual cause of nerve root compression symptoms and do not differ clinically from the symptoms of a herniated disc.

Pathogenesis: The cysts originate from the small vertebral joints and, depending on their size, compress the nerval structures. The affected vertebral joints typically show activated arthritic circumstances, which are associated with degenerative spondylolisthesis in about 50% of cases. Read More

Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) 2019 08 25;68:37-44. Epub 2019 May 25.

The Spinal Research Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, the Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Ramat Aviv, 6997801, Israel. Electronic address:

Background: A biomechanical model of the lumbosacral spinal unit between L1-S1 was developed to investigate the behavior of normal and select pathological states. Our aims were to generate predictive structural models for mechanical deformation including critical stresses in the spine components and to investigate the probability of subsequent lumbar spine fractures in the presence of unilateral spondylolysis.

Methods: A non-linear three-dimensional finite element pathology-free model of the L1-S1 lumbosacral unit was generated using patient-specific computerized tomography scans and calibrated by comparing it to experimental data of a range of motion modes consisting of flexion, extension, left and right lateral bending, and left and right axial rotation. Read More

J Neurosurg Spine 2019 May 31;31(3):338-346. Epub 2019 May 31.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hôpital Henri Mondor, AP-HP, Université Paris Est Créteil (UPEC), Creteil, France

Objective: L5-S1 stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is a reliable technique to treat symptomatic degenerative disc disease but remains controversial for treatment of isthmic spondylolisthesis. In the present study the authors aimed to identify risk factors of instrumentation failure and pseudarthrosis after stand-alone L5-S1 ALIF and to evaluate whether instrumentation failure influenced the rate of fusion.

Methods: The study included 64 patients (22 [34. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Sep 28;129:e393-e400. Epub 2019 May 28.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Orthopaedics, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address:

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between vacuum facet phenomena and lumbar instability in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) in L4-L5.

Methods: Patients with L4-L5 DS who had both lumbosacral flexion-extension radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans available for review from January 2016 to December 2017 were eligible for the present study. The dynamic motion index (DMI) of each patient was used to represent the percentage of slippage of L-L4 on the L5 vertebral disks on the flexion radiographs minus the percentage on the extension radiographs. Read More

Neurosurg Rev 2019 Sep 29;42(3):753-761. Epub 2019 May 29.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Parkweonwook Hospital, 4, Gwangan-ro, Suyeong-gu, Busan, 48298, South Korea.

This study retrospectively compared clinical and radiological outcomes of unilateral biportal endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion (ULIF) to those of conventional posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). Seventy-one ULIF (age, 68 ± 8 years) and 70 PLIF (66 ± 9 years) patients for one lumbosacral segment followed more than 1 year were selected. Parameters for surgical techniques (operation time, whether transfused), clinical results [visual analogue scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, Oswestry disability index (ODI)], surgical complications (dural tear, nerve root injury, infection), and radiological results (cage subsidence, screw loosening, fusion) between the two groups were compared. Read More

J Orthop Surg Res 2019 05 29;14(1):164. Epub 2019 May 29.

Miller Scientific Consulting, Inc., 1854 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC, 28803, USA.

World Neurosurg 2019 Sep 24;129:e317-e323. Epub 2019 May 24.

Department of Orthopedics, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Purpose: The concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) spread to different surgical specialties to minimize surgical stress response and to reduce length of hospital stay (LOS) and cost. Recently, several studies have reported experience with the ERAS program for spine surgery. The aim of this study is to introduce the establishment and implementation of the ERAS pathway for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). Read More

Spine J 2019 10 21;19(10):1672-1679. Epub 2019 May 21.

Department of Neurosurgery, Bergman Clinics Amsterdam, Rijksweg 69, 1411 GE, Naarden, The Netherlands; Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Background Context: Long-term patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) are essential in clinical practice and research. Prospective trials and registries often struggle with high rates of loss of follow-up (LOFU), which may bias their findings. Little is known on risk factors for PROM nonresponse, especially for digitally mailed questionnaires. Read More

J Orthop Surg Res 2019 May 23;14(1):148. Epub 2019 May 23.

Department of Spine Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Zhongshan Road 321, Nanjing, 210008, China.

Background: Contiguous double-level lumbar spondylolytic spondylolisthesis is an extremely rare condition. There is a paucity of data of lumbosacral deformity and sagittal spino-pelvic malalignment among these patients. Moreover, the effect of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) on sagittal realignment still remains largely unknown. Read More

Neurosurg Clin N Am 2019 Jul;30(3):353-364

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Avenue M779, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.

Degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis is a common cause of low back pain, affecting about 11.5% of the United States population. Patients with symptomatic lumbar spondylolisthesis may first be treated with conservative management strategies including, but not limited to, non-narcotic and narcotic pain medications, epidural steroid injections, transforaminal injections, and physical therapy. Read More

Neurosurg Clin N Am 2019 Jul;30(3):299-304

Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic Neuro-Informatics Lab, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street Southwest, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.

Degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis is one of the most common causes of low back pain and is defined as displacement of one vertebra over subjacent vertebra, associated with degenerative changes, without an associated disruption or defect in the vertebral ring. Undersetanding natural history of degenerative spondylolisthesis is important to tailor an individualized management plan for each patient. A trial of conservative therapy may be considered for patients with low-grade spondylolisthesis presenting with radiculopathy and/or pseudoclaudication. Read More

Neurosurg Clin N Am 2019 Jul;30(3):291-298

Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address:

Most high-grade spondylolistheses are resultant from isthmic spondylolisthesis, as complete discontinuity of the pars is typically necessary to allow for this degree of anterior vertebral translation, although can occur less commonly in other scenarios. Higher-grade slips can affect the global sagittal balance of the patient and often result in altered gait patterns and compensatory posturing. Management usually entails surgical decompression and fusion with instrumentation. Read More

Neurosurg Clin N Am 2019 Jul 19;30(3):283-290. Epub 2019 Apr 19.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Orthopaedic Spine Center, 55 Fruit Street, Yawkey Building, Suite 3A, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Electronic address:

Lumbar isthmic spondylolisthesis is the anterior translation of one lumbar vertebra relative to the next caudal segment as a result of an abnormality in the pars interarticularis. Although it is most often an asymptomatic radiographic finding, symptomatic patients may present with low back and/or radicular leg pain. In the setting of persistent symptoms, despite nonoperative treatment, surgery can be considered. Read More

Neurosurgery 2019 07;85(1):168

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 2019 Apr;99(15):1172-1177

Department of Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin 300211, China.

To investigate the in vivo kinematics of the lumbar degenerative spondylolysis (LDS) in senile patients. From March to October in 2014, nine L(4-5) LDS patients [mean age (74±9) years] and nine healthy volunteers [mean age, (54±4) years] were recruited. Combined fluoroscopy and CT scanning technique were used to obtain the three dimension kinematic data of the vertebral anatomical structures (vertebral body anterior margin, vertebral body posterior margin, facet joints and spinous process) in various postures (supine, standing, flexion and extension) under physical loads, and to compare the stability of different anatomical structures. Read More

Med Sci Monit 2019 Apr 4;25:2479-2487. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China (mainland).

BACKGROUND With the in-depth development of minimally invasive spine surgery in recent years, robot- and computer-assisted technologies have been increasingly used and successfully applied to spinal surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of 60 patients with grade I or II lumbar spondylolisthesis who underwent minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) from January 2017 to December 2017. A robot-assisted surgical system was used in 30 patients for pedicle screw placement. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Jun 28;126:e1542-e1548. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Department of Orthopedics, FuJian Provincial Hospital, Fu Zhou, China.

Objective: S2 alar screw would be an alternative choice without breaking the sacroiliac joint. The aim of this study was to measure radiographic parameters for optimal placement of posterior S2 alar screw for instrumentation and fusion.

Methods: Three-dimensional computed tomography scans of the pelvis of 60 normal adults were used to map the S2 alar screw. Read More

Zhongguo Gu Shang 2019 Mar;32(3):234-238

Department of Spinal Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China;

Objective: To compare the sagittal morphological features of the spine and pelvis between L₅S₁ dysplastic spondylolisthesis and isthmus spondylolisthesis in adolescent.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 24 cases of adolescent L₅S₁ spondylolisthesis with complete imaging data from May 2002 to December 2016. Those included 8 males and 16 females, aged from 10 to 18 years old with an average of (13. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Jun 26;126:e330-e341. Epub 2019 Feb 26.

Department of Orthopaedic surgery, Taichung Branch of Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Background: The postoperative infection rates for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) have ranged from <2% to 4%. However, no consensus has been reached on the treatment strategies. TLIF cage preservation or revision surgery for lumbar spine reconstruction are 2 possible treatments. Read More

Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2019 Aug;44(16):1118-1128

Experimental Tissue Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Study Design: Microstructural investigation of compression-induced herniation of ovine lumbar discs with and without added component of anterior-inferior slope.

Objective: Does increased shear arising from a simulated component of motion segment slope imitating sacral slope weaken the lateral annulus and increase risk of overt herniation at this same region.

Summary Of Background Data: An increase in sacral slope secondary to lordosis and pelvic incidence increases shear stresses at the lumbosacral junction and has been associated with an increase in spondylolisthetic disorders and back injury. Read More

J Neurosurg Spine 2019 Feb 22:1-5. Epub 2019 Feb 22.

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lumbar sacralization on the level of vertebral slip and disc degeneration in patients with L4 spondylolysis.METHODSThe authors analyzed data from 102 cases in which patients underwent surgical treatment for L4 spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis at their institution between March 2007 and September 2016. Lumbar sacralization was characterized by the presence of pseudarthrosis and/or bony fusion between the L5 transverse process and sacrum, and the type of lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV) was evaluated with the Castellvi classification. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 05 19;125:e1183-e1188. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: When lumbar stenosis involves spondylolisthesis, many surgeons include fixation. Two recent trials have shown no consensus to definitive treatment. We aimed to add to the discourse of fusion versus decompression in patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis by providing a large-scale generalizable study. Read More

Spine Deform 2019 03;7(2):346-355

Orthopaedics Department, General Hospital of Patras, Greece.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: To investigate whether decompression plus short segment lumbosacral fixation changes the sagittal baseline spinopelvic parameters in patients with moderate degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) and associated degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS).

Summary Of Background Data: Spinal decompression and fusion are commonly performed in DS with associated DLSS. Read More

Spine Deform 2019 03;7(2):275-285

Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address:

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Objectives: To report operative outcomes of contemporary surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis in the pediatric population.

Summary Of Background Data: Surgical treatment of developmental spondylolisthesis is controversial, with limited data on complication and reoperation rates. Read More

Turk Neurosurg 2019 ;29(3):386-391

Mahidol University, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Surgery Department, Neurosurgery Division, Bangkok, Thailand.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between the deformity correction and subsequent alterations in spinopelvic parameters after surgical correction in degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis patients.

Material And Methods: About 100 adult patients were recruited in the study. The eligible cases received surgical treatment from 2003 to 2013 at Ramathibodi Hospital. Read More

Neurosurg Focus 2019 01;46(1):E9

OBJECTIVEBoth spontaneous and iatrogenic spondylodiscitis are becoming ever more frequent, yet there are no definite treatment guidelines. For many years the treatment protocol was conservative medical management or surgical debridement with patients immobilized or bedridden for weeks and often resulting in spinal deformity. The eventual development of spinal deformity can be difficult to treat. Read More

J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2018 10 26;41(8):691-697. Epub 2018 Dec 26.

Department of Spine Surgery, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Objective: Using ultrasonography, this study investigated the abdominal and lumbar multifidus muscle size in patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis compared with healthy patients at rest and during contraction.

Methods: This research was a nonexperimental, analytic case-control study. Ultrasound imaging was used to assess the thickness of the abdominal and lumbar multifidus muscles in 25 healthy patients and 25 patients with spondylolisthesis. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2018 19;2018:5806037. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Xinqiao Hospital of Army Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China.

Objective: Endoscopic surgeries have been attempted in the field of lumbar decompression and fusion surgery in the past decade. Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion (PELIF) is a new-emerging technique taking advantages of an anatomical (Kambin's triangle) to achieve simultaneous decompression and fusion under endoscopic visualization. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and safety of PELIF technique with general anesthesia and neuromonitoring. Read More

Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992) 2018 Dec;64(12):1147-1153

Professor - Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.

Objective: The surgical management of high-grade lumbar spondylolisthesis (HGLS) is complex and aims to achieve both a solid fusion that is able to support the high shear forces of the lumbosacral junction, as well as neural decompression. We performed a systematic literature review of the safety and efficacy of posterior transdiscal (PTD) screw fixation from L5S1 for HGLS and its variations.

Methods: A systematic literature review following the PRISMA guidelines was performed in the PubMed database of the studies describing the use of PTD screw fixation for HGLS. Read More

J Neurosurg Spine 2018 11;30(2):234-241

1Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California.

OBJECTIVEThe AANS launched the Quality Outcomes Database (QOD), a prospective longitudinal registry that includes demographic, clinical, and patient-reported outcome (PRO) data to measure the safety and quality of spine surgery. Registry data offer "real-world" insights into the utility of spinal fusion and decompression surgery for lumbar spondylolisthesis. Using the QOD, the authors compared the initial 12-month outcome data for patients undergoing fusion and those undergoing laminectomy alone for grade 1 degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Read More

Neurosurg Focus 2018 12;45(6):E12

4Department of Neurosurgery, University of Health Sciences, Gulhane Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between lumbar spondylolysis and payload weight between different combat units of Turkish land forces (TLF).METHODThe authors reviewed clinical and radiological data of the military personnel with low-back pain (LBP) admitted to their clinic between July 2017 and July 2018. Age, BMI, average payload weight, and military service unit were recorded. Read More

Br J Neurosurg 2019 Feb 6;33(1):84-87. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

a Department of Neurological Surgery , Oregon Health & Science University , Portland , OR , USA.

Surgical treatment for high-grade spondylolisthesis with high sacral slope remains controversial and no definitive gold standard procedure has been identified. The Bohlman technique, in which a fibular strut is reamed posteriorly across the L5-S1 disc space in an oblique, inferior to superior trajectory, has been increasingly utilized. Recently, a Reverse Bohlman technique has been described, in which a graft is reamed anteriorly across a single disc space in a superior to inferior trajectory. Read More

J Neurosurg Spine 2018 11;30(2):222-227

OBJECTIVELocal epidural steroid application may be associated with decreased pain and narcotic use in the immediate postoperative period following lumbar discectomy. However, local steroid delivery following lumbar fusion procedures has not been well characterized. This study aims to characterize the effect of local intraoperative depomedrol application on perioperative and postoperative outcomes following a single-level minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS TLIF). Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Feb 1;122:e790-e794. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: Lumbar spondylolisthesis can be related to facet arthropathy and disc degeneration or to a fracture of the pars interarticularis, but the mechanistic underpinnings of spondylolisthesis remain unclear. We posit that high sacral slope and body weight increase sacral inclination vector forces, which leads to pars fractures and exacerbates risk for spondylolisthesis.

Methods: To investigate this hypothesis, we measured the sacral slope, body weight, and S1 endplate vector forces for patients who underwent L5-S1 fusion for grade I spondylolisthesis. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Feb 12;122:469-473. Epub 2018 Oct 12.

Department of Neurosurgery, St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address:

Objective: We sought to describe a novel technique in managing a patient with adjacent segment disease at the L5/S1 level.

Methods: We performed an endoscope-assisted anterior lumbar interbody fusion with computed tomography-guided, image-navigated unilateral cortical bone trajectory screw fixation to treat L5/S1 intervertebral disk pathology.

Results: Patient was successfully treated by a direct endoscopic decompression through the anterior access, interbody fusion using an anterior lumbar interbody fusion cage, unilateral cortical bone trajectory instrumentation under computed tomography-guided image navigation. Read More

Spine J 2019 04 5;19(4):670-676. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

University of Montreal, Montreal, Québec Canada; Division of Orthopedic Surgery, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Québec Canada; Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur, Montreal, Québec Canada. Electronic address:

Backgound Context: Abnormal proximal femoral angle (PFA) was recently found to be associated with deteriorating sagittal balance and quality of life (QoL) in high-grade spondylolisthesis (HGS). However, the influence of PFA on the QoL of patients undergoing surgery remains unknown.

Purpose: This study compares the pre- and postoperative measurements of sagittal balance including PFA in patients with lumbosacral HGS after surgery. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Jan 29;121:e554-e565. Epub 2018 Sep 29.

Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Martin, Slovakia.

Objective: In lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (DSL), the criteria and extent of surgical treatment have not been strictly defined owing to the adjacent segment disease theory and unclear molecular pathogenesis. The present study analyzed the clinical and radiographic findings of patients after lower lumbar fusion surgery with single and 2-level DSL and explored the inflammatory mediator's role in DSL evolution and symptoms.

Methods: The prospective follow-up of patients with DSL, stratified by the stabilization extent (L4-L5, L5-S1, and L4-S1), included the Back Illness Pain and Disability 9-item questionnaire and native and dynamic radiographs to evaluate the intervertebral disc height and adjacent segments' angular motion. Read More

Global Spine J 2018 Aug 16;8(5):460-470. Epub 2017 Nov 16.

Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. George & Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Kogarah, Sydney NSW, Australia.

Study Design: A biomechanical study using finite element analysis.

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to investigate the role of sacral slope in the progression of a L5 bilateral spondylolytic defect to spondylolisthesis.

Methods: A 3-dimensional model of lumbosacral spine was built using computed tomography (CT) data procured from an anonymized healthy male subject. Read More

J Neurosurg Spine 2018 Dec;29(6):635-638

Traumatic spondylolisthesis is a known occurrence in trauma, but complete cord transection is relatively rare. Moreover, complete cord transection at a site distant from the traumatic spondylolisthesis without spondyloptosis is exceedingly rare. In this report, authors describe the first case of thoracic cord avulsion following a traumatic grade II lumbar spondylolisthesis. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2018 Nov 25;57:79-85. Epub 2018 Aug 25.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.

Posterior lumbar interbody fusion with cortical bone trajectory (CBT-PLIF) is a form of minimally invasive decompression and fusion, whereas microendoscopic laminotomy (MEL) is a form of minimally invasive decompression surgery. No study has compared the clinical outcomes of the two methods for patients who have degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) with instability. In this study, CBT-PLIF and MEL were both offered to 64 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Read More

Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2018 10 30;173:96-100. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Department of Spine Surgery, Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. Electronic address:

Objective: To investigate the segmental instability of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS) with a kyphotic configuration at the involved segment, and to determine the most useful diagnostic modalities in the evaluation of instability.

Patients And Methods: This study reviewed a consecutive series of patients with L DLS between July 2010 and May 2016. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups based on preoperative neutral radiographs: the kyphotic group (Group K) and non-kyphotic group (Group NK). Read More