British Journal of Medicine and Medical Research, ISSN: 2231-0614,Vol.: 3, Issue.: 3 (July-September)

Original Research Article

Spondylolisthesis in a City in South South Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria

U. Uduma Felix^1*, N. Dim Edwin², E. Nottidge Tim² and U. Eduwem Dianabasi¹

Background: Spondylolisthesis is a condition where one vertebra slips over the top of the adjacent vertebra. This is commonest in the lumbar spine.
Objectives: To audit lumbo-sacral spine radiographs for spondylolisthesis with emphasis on localisations, sex distribution, types and grading.
Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was carried out from1^st May, 2011 to 21^st June, 2012 in Radiology Department, University of Uyo teaching hospital, Uyo, Nigeria. Recruited patients were referrals for lumbo-sacral radiography irrespective of indications. Anterior-posterior and lateral radiographs of the lumbo-sacral spine were taken under standardized conditions. Radiographs with spondylolisthesis were identified and analysed statistically using computer SSPS 13.
Results: 249 Patients were studied (132 Males and 117 females). 9.24% (n=23) of the studied population had 25 individual vertebral displacements. 82.61% (n=19) of these patients were females and 17.39% (n=4) were males (female to male ratio - 4.75:1). The mean age for males with vertebral displacement was 44.5 (S.D=10) while the mean age for females was 44.5 (S.D=15.81). The commonest level of vertebral involvement was L4 on L5. This was seen in 56.52% (n=13) of patients with positive cases of spondylolisthesis. This was followed by L5 on S1 with 30.43%. 82.61% of patients had grade 1 displacements. Degenerative spondylolisthesis was the commonest type (52.17%), followed by isthmic type (21.74%), uncategorised (17.39%) and traumatic spondylolisthesis (8.70%).
Conclusion: Radiographic pattern of spondylolisthesis in Uyo, Nigeria demonstrates the usual female gender bias, L4/L5 localizations but interestingly show predominance in degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Keywords :

Spondylolisthesis; lumbo-sacral radiographs; degenerative.

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DOI : 10.9734/BJMMR/2013/1861

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