UNDER THE KNIFE OF SPONDYLOLISTHESIS
Imagine you are sitting in a doctor's office waiting for a report on your condition. Your symptoms are pain that spreads across your lower back that doesn't go away, spasms that stiffen the back and tighten the hamstrings, and numbness in the lower extremities. Upon examination and after x-rays, the doctor sits down in the room and tells you of a condition you have called spondylolisthesis. Spondylolisthesis.....??? What is that.....??? Spondylolisthesis is the forward slippage of one vertebra on the vertebrae beneath it. This forward slippage can be the result of many causes and is classified based on the reason for the slip (American Academy for Orthopaedic Surgeons, p 1). Most cases of the disease occur in the low lumbar spine with the most common spinal levels being either L5-S1 or L4-L5. Depending on the cause of the disease, it can be classified as one of six different types. The types are congenital, isthmic, degenerative,......
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Approximate Word Count: 1687
Approximate Pages: 7 (260 words per double-spaced page) |