Spondylolisthesis & Surgery
Choosing The Right Type of Treatment For Your Spondylolisthesis or Spondylolysis May Be Difficult Because You May Not Know What Works For You And Your Body. Know The Facts Before You Decide.
Is Surgical or Non Surgical Treatment of Spondylolysis or Spondylolisthesis Right for Me?
Treatment for spondylolysis typically depends on the severity of the condition of spondylolysis and/or spondylolisthesis.
In general, it is more common for a child or teen to have spondylolysis (pars fracture) without having spondylolisthesis (forward or backward slippage of spine bone over another). Adults are frequently diagnosed with spondylolisthesis without spondylolysis. Though it may be confusing, both of these conditions are frequently seen in combination and treatment is generally the same. Most people with a slight degree of slippage recover fully with conservative treatment. Surgery is more commonly used to treat the condition in adults and is rarely used on children, unless the slippage is severe.
However, the effectiveness of surgery has been long disputed in comparison with that of nonsurgical treatment. A study published in May 2007 by the New England Journal of Medicine set out to compare the effectiveness of surgical and nonsurgical treatment among participants with confirmed diagnoses of intervertebral disk herniation, spinal stenosis, and degenerative spondylolisthesis. The study performed on patients was called Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial, or SPORT.
Surgical Treatment
Surgery lasts roughly 3.5 hours, and patients typically lose a substantial amount of blood. The most common surgical complication in this study was dural tear, among 10% of the sample group. In the 2 years after, 12% of those that received treatment through surgery had to have another corrective operation. In addition, only a percentage of those who opted for surgery were approved for it.
The study proved that patients with persistent neurogenic claudication, or inflammation of the nerves from the spinal cord, from degenerative spondylolisthesis treated surgically showed substantially greater improvement in pain and function, as well as satisfaction, for 2 years. These were patients that complained of severe leg pain.
Nonsurgical Treatment
Nonsurgical treatments used during the SPORT included physical therapy, epidural steroid, injections, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and opioids.
Most patients who suffer from the condition fear that it may get worse without surgery. This is not true. This study proves that even with conservative forms of non-surgical treatment, patients still showed moderate improvement over time. However, in patients who suffer from excessive pain, due to a more extreme case of spondylolisthesis, surgery was a better option.
Study Conclusion
This study had several limitations and used only a small sample group. Though many patients srecover fully using conservative methods of treatment, those with severe and long-lasting cases of degenerative spondylolisthesis should consider surgery.
Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent spondylolisthesis. Unless this condition is treated, it may worsen. It is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms.
Contact A Spondylolisthesis or Spondylolysis Attorney
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis because of a traumatic event in the San Diego area, such as a car accident, contact the California spinal cord injury attorneys at the Jurewitz Law Group. We will get you the compensation you are entitled to for your injuries. Call our San Diego law office at 888-233-5020 to set up a free consultation.
Have you been injured in an accident in San Diego or anywhere in California and don't know what to do next? We are here to help and provide you with the important and relevant information you need to make an informed decision about:
- How to handle your personal injury claim
- Who is the right injury accident attorney to help you with your case, and
- Whether you even need to hire a lawyer to help you with your insurance claim
Call the Jurewitz Law Group at 888-233-5020 to order one of our free California personal injury books to get the information you need or to set up a free consultation with one of our experienced San Diego personal injury attorneys.
