title: A modified technique for the treatment of isthmic spondylolisthesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a modified technique for the treatment of single level, isthmic spondylolisthesis (IS) MATERIAL and
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two patients who underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) with spinolaminar autologous bone graft for the treatment of isthmic spondylolisthesis between May 2007 and November 2011, were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent total removal of the spinolaminar process, total discectomy and endplate decortication, and proper size spinolaminar autologous bone graft was sequentially inserted into the disc space with posterior instrumentation. Outcomes of the study included visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and radiographic fusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average duration of follow-up was 3.5 years. Neither has implant failure been observed nor has revision been required so far. The mean Oswestry Disability Index improved from 53% to 9.5%, and visual analog scale for back pain from 8.5 to 3.8 at the first month and 1.3 at the sixth month postoperatively. Visual analog scale for leg pain from 8.3 to 1.4 at the first month and 0.8 at the sixth month postoperatively. All patients had clinical and radiographic evidence of solid fusion without any need for revision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The modified posterior lumbar interbody fusion and posterior instrumentation technique is a safe and effective treatment for isthmic spondylolisthesis.
authors.affiliation: Dicle University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tevfik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dalbayrak
authors.forename: Onur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: Mesut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ayten
authors.forename: Yahya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Turan
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozturk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult