TLIF surgery in general will somewhat correct some of the slip of a spondylolisthesis but the correction depends upon many factors. Too much correction can stretch the accompanying nerve root. For the L5-S1 level, this would be the L5 root. Therefore in surgery, I generally allow the vertebra and nerve root to find a “natural” balance between slip correction and root tension.
If the slipped vertebra is “forced” back to perfectly align with the vertebra below, there is a greater chance of some root dysfunction.
Dr. Corenman
PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
