Surgery for Spondylolisthesis

Seldom is spine surgery the first treatment for a spondylolisthesis—first, non-surgical treatment is tried for several months. If non-surgical treatments do not improve your spondylolisthesis, your doctor may recommend surgery. Your spine surgeon will decide which procedure is best for you and how the surgery will be performed.

The goals of surgery are to stabilize the spine and remove pressure on spinal nerves (called decompression). Spinal fusion is the most common surgical procedure. During spinal fusion, two or more vertebrae (bones) are fused together. Spinal fusion uses implants such as screws, rods, cages, and bone graft to help the spine fuse. Advanced technology allows some spondylolisthesis procedures to be performed using minimally invasive techniques.