title: Spondylolisthesis in pre-school children.
abstract: Although the natural history of spondylolisthesis is poorly described, we know that it is rare to see the condition in children before they are 5 or 6 years old. Treatment in these patients may be confusing because there is very little literature on the subject, and most papers are case reports. We present a series of eight pre-school patients (mean age 3.5 years; range 9 months to 5 years) with spondylolisthesis with an average follow up of 11.5 years (range 9-14 years). In our experience, general guidelines for treatment as given by Wiltse and Jackson are useful in patients younger than 5 years. Nowadays we have to keep strict control of these patients due to their important capacity for growth that increases the possibility of further slippage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, University Clinic of Navarre, School of Medicine, University of Navarre, Pamplona, Spain. jbeguirist@unav.es
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Beguiristáin
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Díaz-de-Rada
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000209:etiology; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*