What does Isthmic spondylolisthesis mean?

Isthmic Spondylolisthesis is a spinal condition in which one vertebra slips forward over the vertebra below. It is caused by a defect, or fracture, of the pars interarticularis; a bone connecting the upper and lower facet joints.

What is a grade 1 degenerative spondylolisthesis?

One commonly used description grades spondylolisthesis, with grade 1 being least advanced, and grade 5 being most advanced. The spondylolisthesis is graded by measuring how much of a vertebral body has slipped forward over the body beneath it. Grade 1: 25% of vertebral body has slipped forward.

How is Isthmic spondylolisthesis treated?

For most cases of isthmic spondylolisthesis (especially Grades I and II), treatment consists of temporary bed rest, restriction of the activities that caused the onset of symptoms, pain/ anti-inflammatory medications, steroid-anesthetic injections, physical therapy and/or spinal bracing.

How common is Isthmic spondylolisthesis?

The incidence of isthmic spondylolisthesis is generally reported as between 4% to 8% of the general population.

What is the most common level for an Isthmic spondylolisthesis?

Isthmic spondylolisthesis occurs most often at L5-S1, and is more often seen in younger adults than degenerative spondylolisthesis. The cause is a defect in an important bridge bone (the pars interarticularis) of L5.

Can grade 1 spondylolisthesis be cured?

Spondylolisthesis is a spinal condition that causes lower back pain. It occurs when one of your vertebrae, the bones of your spine, slips out of place onto the vertebra below it. Most of the time, nonsurgical treatment can relieve your symptoms. If you have severe spondylolisthesis, surgery is successful in most cases.

How common is grade 1 spondylolisthesis?

Grade 1: 25 percent of the vertebral body has slipped forward. This is the lowest grade. Grade 2: Between 25-50 percent of the vertebral body has slipped forward.

What causes Isthmic spondylolisthesis?

It’s caused by a defect, or fracture, of the pars interarticularis, a bone that connects the upper and lower facet joints. You may inherit the defect or obtain a fracture by the accumulative affects of spinal stress. Sometimes isthmic spondylolisthesis affects young athletes.

Is Isthmic spondylolisthesis stable?

In vitro studies of L4-L5 and L5-S1 isthmic spondylolisthesis slips have concluded that an L4-L5 pars defect is more unstable than an L5-S1 pars defect. Comparing the stability of lytic motion segments with different grades of spondylolisthesis is difficult to do experimentally and therefore has not been done.

What is an isthmic spondylolysis?

Before the slide occurs, the pars defect is called an isthmic spondylolysis (lysis meaning to “cut” or “break”). If there is an accompanying slide, the condition is then called an isthmic spondylolisthesis (oliothesis means to slip in Latin).

What is a Grade 3 spondylolisthesis?

Classification of Spondylolisthesis is based on the degree of slippage in the lumbar spine. Grade 1 is less than 25%, Grade 2 is 25% to 50%, Grade 3 is 50% to 75%, Grade 4 is 75% to 100%, and Spondyloptosis is > 100% .

What causes isthmic spondylolisthesis at L5?

Pathophysiology foraminal stenosis adult isthmic spondylolisthesis at L5/S1 often leads to radicular symptoms caused by compression of the exiting L5 nerve root in the L5-S1 foramen. compression can be caused by hypertrophic fibrous repair tissue of the pars defect.

What is slippage progression in isthmic spondylolisthesis?

Slip progression is relatively rare in adults with this condition and slippage is typically associated with advanced degeneration of the disk below the pars defect. When symptomatic, radiculopathy is the typical complaint in adults with isthmic spondylolisthesis.