[Pathogenesis of pediatric spondylolisthesis].

62 children with spondylolisthesis were examined. Functional anatomical studies on 25 growing human spines were performed to analyse their macro morphological behavior before and after spondylolisthesis. The progression of spondylolisthesis is explained as growth disturbance. The high incidence of spina bifida occulta in spondylolisthesis is a mechanical induced osteochondrosis of the dorsal arc. The different morphology of the spondylolisthesis in children depends mostly of the age of the beginning of this disease. The differentiation between the dysplastic and spondylolytic isthmic type of spondylolisthesis is not indicated. Pour prognosis is expected in young children with kyphosis and high ventral dislocation in the involved segment.