Adult isthmic spondylolisthesis most commonly occurs at the L5-S1 level of the lumbar spine. Slip progression is relatively rare in adults with this condition and slippage is typically associated with advanced degeneration of the disk below the pars defect. When symptomatic, radiculopathy is the typical complaint in adults with isthmic spondylolisthesis. When considering options for surgical treatment of adult isthmic spondylolisthesis, the surgeon must consider several different options, such as decompression, fusion, instrumentation, reduction, and type of bone graft to be used. All of these decisions must be individualized as deemed appropriate for each particular patient. This report presents a case of intraoperative slip progression of a L5-S1 adult isthmic spondylolisthesis to a high-grade slip, which was treated with complete surgical reduction and posterior instrumented fusion. This case demonstrates the potential instability of this condition in adults and has not been previously reported. The case details and images are reviewed and the intraoperative decisions, treatment options, and patient outcome are discussed.
Keywords: adult isthmic spondylolisthesis; high-grade spondylolisthesis; posterior instrumented fusion; slip progression; surgical reduction.