The Sciatica - Gill Trial

Spondylolytic spondylolisthesis is an anterior slip of one verebral body on to another caused by a disconnection of the pars interarticularis of the arch. Patients present with radicular pain or neurogenic claudication with or without backpain caused by nerve root compression underneath the newly formed pseudojoint, or compression in the foramen between pedicle and slipped disc. Surgical treatment consists of excision of the pseudojoint (nerveroot decompression according to Gill) mostly in combination with instrumented fusion. Instrumented spondylodesis is major surgery with a substantial complication rate and it's necessity has not been proven. Nerve root decompression according to Gill is a less invasive procedure with short hospitalisation, quick mobilisation and fast resumption of daily activities. Therefore, we postulate that Gill's procedure is more cost-effective on the short term (12 weeks) and at least equal cost-effective on the long term (2 years).

The trial concentrate on the question is a instrumented fusion in the treatment of spondylolytic spondylisthesis (cost) effectiveness than a decomporession according to Gill, both in short and long term.

Follow up of all patients will be performed at 6, 12, 26, 52, 104 and 260 after surgery.

Questions will be send by mail.

Patients present with radicular pain or neurogenic claudication with or without backpain caused by nerve root compression underneath the newly formed pseudojoint, or compression in the foramen between pedicle and slip disc. Surgical treatment consists of excision of the pseudojoint:



Group A: Nerveroot decompression according to Gill



Group B: Nerveroot decompression acoording to Gill in combination with instrumented fusion.