Mid-Grade Spondylolisthesis In The Child: Treatment Options - Robert Dunn

Description

The provided transcript is a detailed discussion on the evaluation and management of spinal slips, particularly focusing on pediatric populations. The speaker begins by describing different grades of spinal slips, specifically mentioning a case involving a 10-year-old boy who presented with sciatic pain due to an osteoblastoma, which was subsequently resected. The talk addresses treatment strategies for varying degrees of slips, emphasizing that observation may be appropriate for grade one slips due to their benign nature, as shown in previous studies. The speaker highlights the importance of symptomatology in determining whether surgical intervention—ranging from fixation to fusion—should be employed. A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the use of interbody versus posterolateral fusions and considerations related to patient age and symptom severity. The talk touches on complications that can arise from surgical treatment and the outcomes of various methods, reinforcing the necessity of individualized patient care while being cautious of the limitations of current evidence in guiding clinical decisions.

DOI: 10.1302/3114-261292