RISK FACTORS FOR REOPERATION IN PATIENTS SURGICALLY TREATED FOR DEGENERATIVE SPONDYLOLISTHESIS

Degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) is an acquired condition where one vertebra slips forward over another, most common in individuals over 50. This slippage often leads to symptoms like back pain and neurogenic claudication. Evidence from several well-conducted studies supports surgery for patients with persistent, severe symptoms unrelieved by conservative treatment. In the early 1990s, Herkowitz demonstrated that patients undergoing decompression with arthrodesis had better outcomes compared to decompression alone. Today, surgical decompression with arthrodesis is the standard treatment for symptomatic DS.