Dynamic vs. Fixed Lumbar Spondylolisthesis: Clinical, Radiographic, and Functional Outcomes in TLIF Surgery

Abstract

Abstract

Introduction: Lumbar spondylolisthesis (LS) is defined by vertebral displacement and can be categorized as dynamic or fixed based on intervertebral instability. Dynamic LS, characterized by greater mobility, may impact surgical outcomes.

Objetive: To assess clinical and radiographic differences between dynamic and fixed LS in patients undergoing transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and to determine an optimal cutoff for defining dynamic instability.

Methods: This retrospective cohort included 76 patients with degenerative low-grade LS treated with TLIF between 2018 and 2020, with a minimum follow-up of 24 months. Dynamic and fixed LS were classified based on a displacement cutoff derived from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Clinical outcomes (ODI, VAS, SF-36) and radiographic parameters were evaluated preoperatively and at 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively.

Results: ROC analysis identified 2.45 mm as the optimal displacement threshold to distinguish dynamic from fixed LS, with 95.5% sensitivity and 97.1% specificity. Dynamic LS was present in 63.4% of cases and demonstrated significantly higher preoperative listhesis and greater postoperative reduction loss. Despite these radiographic differences, patient-reported outcomes improved similarly in both groups over time.

Conclusions: A displacement threshold of 2.45 mm effectively differentiates dynamic from fixed LS and may support surgical decision-making. While dynamic LS presents a higher risk of postoperative reduction loss, TLIF achieves comparable functional outcomes in both LS subtypes. Further prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and optimize surgical strategies.

Keywords

Spondylolisthesis; Degenerative Spondylolisthesis; Spinal Fusion; Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF); Spinal Instability