The reduction and direct repair of isthmic spondylolisthesis using the smiley face rod method in adolescent athlete: Technical note

• Published in: The Journal of Medical Investigation Vol. 64; no. 1.2; pp. 168 - 172
• Main Authors: MD, Kazuta Yamashita, PhD, Kosaku Higashino, MD, PhD, Toshinori Sakai, MD, PhD, Yoichiro Takata, MD, MD, Fumio Hayashi, MD, Fumitake Tezuka, MD, Masatoshi Morimoto, PhD, Akihiro Nagamachi, MD, PhD, Koichi Sairyo, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The University of Tokushima Faculty of Medicine 2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Baseball - injuries; Bone Nails; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging; Lumbar Vertebrae - surgery; Male; Minimally invasive surgery; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; Orthopedic Procedures; Pedicle Screws; Reduction; Repair surgery; Spondylolisthesis; Spondylolisthesis - diagnostic imaging; Spondylolisthesis - surgery
• ISSN: 1343-1420; 1349-6867
• DOI: 10.2152/jmi.64.168

Presently, lumbar spondylolisthesis did not have the indication of direct repair surgery because of the difficulty to reduce the slippage. In this report, we presented a case and described a minimally invasive direct repair surgery to reduce and repair the pars interarticularis defects of lumbar spondylolisthesis. First, curettage and removal of the synovium of the pars interarticularis and decompression of nerve root are conducted. Next, cancellous bone is harvested from the iliac crest. And then the Percutaneous Pedicle Screws are inserted bilaterally. A rod is bended and placed just caudal to the spinous process. We can make reposition of slipped vertebra and stabilize the loose lamina more firmly using a reduction tool and a rod pusher. Finally, bone grafts are implanted onto the pars defects. The Smiley face rod method is very useful to reduce the slippage and repair the pars defects in the lumbar spondylolisthesis especially in adolescent athletes. J. Med. Invest. 64: 168-172, February, 2017