ArticleThe spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society2022
Current treatment and decision-making factors leading to fusion vs decompression for one-level degenerative spondylolisthesis: survey results from members of the Lumbar Spine Research Society and Society of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.
Article in The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 29 citations in OpenAlex.
- Decompression with interbody fusion versus decompression alone for degenerative lumbar diseases: A meta-analysis.PloS one · 2025Pooled it
- Surgeon Recommendation and Outcomes of Decompression With vs Without Fusion in Patients With Degenerative Spondylolisthesis.JAMA network open · 2025Trial
- Evaluating reasoning-tuned large language models for clinical decision-making in spine surgery.Spine deformity · 2026Article
- Spinous Process Splitting Laminectomy vs Laminectomy and Fusion for Single-Level Lumbar Canal Stenosis With Low-Grade Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of spine surgery · 2026Article
- Article
- Does adding an interbody cage in L4-L5 posterolateral fusion for degenerative spondylolisthesis and stenosis improve clinical outcome?Brain & spine · 2026Article
- Is flexion-extension imaging necessary for surgical decision-making in degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis? Supine MRI and upright radiographs offer superior diagnostic value.Brain & spine · 2026Article
- Identifying preoperative radiographic metrics to guide surgical selection in lumbar spondylolisthesis and stenosis.North American Spine Society journal · 2025Article
- CORR Insights®: Is Civilian Hospital Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Disorders Associated With Greater Odds of Fusion Procedures?Clinical orthopaedics and related research · 2025Article
- Article
- Fusion versus decompression alone for lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis: a target trial emulation with index trial benchmarking.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2024Article
- Impact of age on comparative outcomes of decompression alone versus fusion for L4 degenerative spondylolisthesis.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2024Article
- Biomechanical response of decompression alone in lower grade lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis--A finite element analysis.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2024Article
- [Comparison of effectiveness between unilateral biportal endoscopic decompression and unilateral biportal endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion for degreeZhongguo xiu fu chong jian wai ke za zhi = Zhongguo xiufu chongjian waike zazhi = Chinese journal of reparative and reconstructive surgery · 2024Article
- Improvement in predominant back pain following minimally invasive decompression for spinal stenosis.Journal of neurosurgery. Spine · 2023Article
- Poor muscle health and low preoperative ODI are independent predictors for slower achievement of MCID after minimally invasive decompression.The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundDegenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) is one of the most common pathologies spine surgeons treat. While a number of potential factors have been identified, there is no current consensus on which variables most impact the decision to fuse vs. decompress alone in this population. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe current DS treatment practices and identify both the radiographic and clinical factors leading to the decision to fuse segments for one level DS. STUDY DESIGN/
settingDescriptive cross-sectional survey. PATIENT SAMPLE: Surveys were administered to members of Lumbar Spine Research Society and Society of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. OUTCOME MEASURES: Surgeon demographics and treatment practices were reported. Radiographic and clinical parameters were ranked by each surgeon with regards to their importance.
methodsThe primary analysis was limited to completed surveys. Baseline characteristics were summarized. Clinical and radiographic parameters were ranked and compared. Ranking of each clinical and radiographic parameters was reported using best and worst rank, mean rank position, and percentiles. The most important, top 3 most important, and top 5 most important parameters were ordered given each parameter's ranking frequency.
results381 surveys were returned completed. With regards to fusion vs. decompression, 19.9% fuse all cases, 39.1% fuse > 75%, 17.8% fuse 50%-75%, and 23.2% fuse <25%. The most common decompressive technique was a partial laminotomy (51.4%), followed by full laminectomy (28.9%). 82.2% of respondents instrument all fusion cases. Instability (93.2%), spondylolisthesis grade (59.8%), and laterolisthesis (37.3%) were the most common radiographic factors impacting the decision to fuse. With regards to the clinical factors leading to fusion, mechanical low back pain (83.2%), activity level (58.3%), and neurogenic claudication (42.8%) were the top 3 clinical parameters.
conclusionsThere is little consensus on the treatment of DS, with society members showing substantial variation in treatment patterns with the majority utilizing fusion for treatment. The most common radiographic parameters impacting treatment are instability, spondylolisthesis grade, and laterolisthesis while mechanical low back pain, activity level, and neurogenic claudication are the most common clinical parameters.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.