A New Technique for Lumbar Spondylolisthesis Reduction Using T-Shaped Tools.

Study design: Retrospective study.

Purpose: To introduce a simple technique to facilitate lumbar spondylolisthesis reduction during posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF).

Overview of literature: Spondylolisthesis reduction has been conducted in various ways, but most of them require special complicated tools.

Methods: T-shaped levering tool was newly designed. This study included 23 patients who underwent PLIF for lumbar spondylolisthesis treatment using newly designed T-shaped tools and followed up for >2 years. Demographic, clinical, and surgical data, which had been routinely collected in a database, were analyzed. The degree of listhesis was measured on lateral radiographs by the Taillard method.

Results: The authors could achieve lumbar spondylolisthesis reduction without difficulty using newly designed T-shaped tools. Immediate postoperative lateral radiographs revealed a reduced preoperative slip of 36.9%±9.6% to 1.2%±1.9%, showing a correction rate of 96.7%. The final follow-up radiographs revealed the mean final slip of 2.6%±2.7%, showing a correction rate of 93.0%.

Conclusions: This technique allowed lumbar spondylolisthesis reduction without difficulty.