Spondylolisthesis is a spinal condition in which one of the bones in your spine (called a vertebra) slips forward over the vertebral bone below it. This slippage can cause pressure on the spinal nerves, leading to a range of symptoms from mild discomfort to severe pain and limited mobility.
- Birth Defects
- Wear & Tear With Age
- Spondylolysis
- Injury to the Spine
- Spinal Tumor or Osteoporosis
- Spinal Surgery
Dr. DonnallyBoard Certified Spine Surgeon
As a third generation Texan, Dr. Donnally is compassionate to the needs of his community and the patients he serves in his native city of Dallas. He prides himself on performing the least invasive amount of surgery to alleviate a patient’s spinal pathology while concurrently accelerating.
- 71 +Peer Reviewed Publications
- 835 +Citations of His Publications
- 10 +Book Chapters
- 1000 +Surgeries Performed
Spondylolisthesis is graded based on the degree of slippage of one vertebra over the one beneath it. The most common grading system is the Meyerding classification, which uses lateral X-rays to measure the percentage of forward slippage.
- Grade IMild
Slippage(1% to 25%) - Grade IIModerate
Slippage(26% to 50%) - Grade IIISevere
Slippage(51% to 75%) - Grade IVVery Severe
Slippage(76% to 100%) - Grade VComplete
Dislocation(>100%)
- Grade I–II: is often treated conservatively (physical therapy, pain management, bracing).
- Grade III–V: May require surgical evaluation, especially if there are neurological symptoms (numbness, weakness, loss of bowel/bladder control).
Treatment for spondylolisthesis depends on the extent of the slip, the severity of symptoms as well as your age and general health. Surgery is an option if daily activities are difficult to perform because the vertebra continues to slip and the pain does not improve with conservative treatment. The aim of surgical treatment is to relieve the pain and pressure on the spinal nerves.
Your surgeon may choose a minimally invasive approach to treat spondylolisthesis if you are a suitable candidate. The advantages of minimally invasive spine surgery over open surgery include smaller incisions, less soft tissue damage, minimal blood loss, reduced operative time, minimal post-operative pain, shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, quicker return to daily activities, and less scarring.
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Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A Guide to Diagnosis and Management
McCormick, J. R., Sama, A. J., Schiller, N. C., Butler, A. J., & Donnally, C. J., III (2020).
Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a neurologic condition that develops insidiously... Read More
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Current Incidence of Adjacent Segment Pathology Following Lumbar Fusion Versus Motion-Preserving Procedures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Recent Projections
Donnally, C. J., III, Patel, P. D., Canseco, J. A., Divi, S. N., Goz, V., Sherman, M. B., Shenoy, K., Markowitz, M., Rihn, J. A., & Vaccaro, A. R. (2020).
Lumbar fusion has shown to be an... Read More
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