The surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis with transpedicular stabilization: a review of 25 cases.

The present study concerns a series of 25 patients submitted to vertebral stabilization and fusion for the treatment of spondylolisthesis. In all of the cases a transpedicular screw system was used. The Steffee plates and screws system was used in 22 cases; the Cotrel-Dubousset (CD) system was used in 3. The listhetic vertebra was L5 in 14 cases, it was L4 in 11 cases. Based on Meyerding radiographic criteria there were: grade I: 8 cases, grade II: 13 cases, grade III: 4 cases. Instrumented fusion was performed at only 1 level in 20 cases, at 2 levels in 5 cases. Mean follow-up was 29 months. Clinical results were evaluated based on the White criteria. The results were satisfactory in 78% of cases. The present study shows that transpedicular vertebral stabilization constitutes a safe method, offering excellent stability essential to consolidation of fusion.