[Surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis in Gabon].

PURPOSE: Spondylolisthesis is a spinal disease revealed by lombalgia and/or lombosciatalgia, which may persist under medical treatment and physiotherapy. Indications for surgery are impairing symptoms and emergency conditions. We report outcome in 21 patients (14 women, 7 men, aged from 30 to 60 years old) who underwent surgery for isthmic (n = 10) and degenerative (n = 11) spondylolisthesis. Radiographic staging was: I in seven patients, II in ten, and III in four.

METHOD: Many techniques were used: simple laminectomy (n = 4), Gill's operation (n = 4), Lapras' technique (n = 4), and Roy-Camille instrumentation (n = 9).

RESULTS

Immediate and long-term postoperative follow-up of sixteen patients confirm good results: excellent outcome in eleven patients, good in four, and fair in one.

CONCLUSION

Considering social and economic factors, we prefer Lapras' technique which provides very satisfactory results.