Traumatic lumbar spondylolisthesis: A case report and review of literature

Abstract

Traumatic spondylolisthesis of the lumbosacral junction (SPL) is a spinal injury rarely seen in current practice. Few cases are reported in the literature. It arises from complex trauma of high-energy mechanisms. We discussed the case of a young patient. He is 24 years old without notable pathological history victim of a traffic road accident. Clinically, he has no sensory or motor deficit, it is a spinal trauma classified American spinal injury association E (ASIA E) with severe back pain. A whole-body CT scan performed on admission showed a grade 2 L5-S1 SPL. A lumbar MRI revealed a tear of the disc at L5-S1. We performed a laminectomy to decompress the dural sheath and cauda equina roots with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. A postoperative CT scan showed the reduction of the spondylolisthesis. Two months later, the patient resumed walking. Surgery is the gold standard for the management of traumatic SPL. The aim of surgery is to achieve neural structure decompression and obtain stability with fusion.

Keywords: Case report; Management; Physiopathology; Traumatic spondylolisthesis.