Spondylolisthesis means one vertebra has slid forward over the one below, most often at L4-L5 or L5-S1. Surgery takes pressure off the trapped nerves and, in most cases, fuses the two bones with screws, rods and bone graft so the slip cannot progress.
It is good at relieving leg pain, numbness and the heavy legs of spinal stenosis. It is less reliable for back pain alone. Most slips never need an operation, and surgery is considered only after several months of physiotherapy, pain management and sometimes injections have failed.
What Spondylolisthesis (Slipped Vertebra) Surgery involves
Through an incision in the lower back the surgeon removes bone and thickened ligament pressing on the nerves, a step called decompression. Pedicle screws are placed into the vertebrae above and below the slip under X-ray or navigation guidance and joined by rods. The worn disc is often removed and replaced with a cage packed with bone graft, from the back (TLIF or PLIF) or through the abdomen (ALIF). The slip may be partly reduced, though full correction is not the aim. Nerve monitoring is commonly used. A drain may stay for a day.
Who is a good candidate for Spondylolisthesis (Slipped Vertebra) Surgery?
Standing X-rays with bending views and an MRI are needed. The decision depends on symptoms far more than on how the scan looks.
- Leg pain or walking limitation from nerve compression that persists after 3 to 6 months of non-surgical care
- Progressive weakness in the leg or foot
- A slip that is documented to be increasing
- High-grade slips in adolescents and young adults
It is usually not the right choice if:
- Slips found by chance that cause no symptoms
- Back pain alone without nerve symptoms or instability
- Severe osteoporosis, where screws hold poorly, until bone health is treated
- Smokers unwilling to stop, as nicotine markedly lowers fusion rates
- Uncontrolled diabetes or active infection
الخيارات التقنية
- Decompression alone: For stable, low-grade degenerative slips in selected older patients. Shorter surgery, small risk of later instability.
- Posterolateral fusion with screws: Bone graft laid alongside the spine with instrumentation.
- TLIF or PLIF: Interbody cage inserted from the back, restoring disc height and opening the nerve exits.
- ALIF: Cage placed through the abdomen, useful at L5-S1. Needs a vascular access surgeon.
- Minimally invasive fusion: Tubular retractors and percutaneous screws. Less muscle damage, same fusion goals.
ماذا يحدث خلال علاجك
The operation takes 2 to 4 hours under general anaesthesia. You will have a catheter and possibly a drain on waking. Pain is significant in the first 2 to 3 days and is managed with a combination of drugs. Physiotherapists help you stand and walk on the first day.
الإعداد لرحلتك
Plan for 10 to 14 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.
- Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
- Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
- Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
- Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly
التعافي والنتائج
Hospital stay is 3 to 5 days. Plan to remain in the city for 10 to 14 days before flying. Walking is encouraged from the start; bending, lifting and twisting are restricted for 6 to 12 weeks. Desk work resumes at 4 to 6 weeks and physical work at 3 to 6 months. Fusion takes 6 to 12 months to become solid and is checked with X-rays, which can be done at home and shared.
- Back to everyday activity: 6 to 12 weeks
- When results show: Leg pain often eases within days to weeks
- How long they last: Permanent fusion
سياسة السلامة والمخاطر والتنقيح
Spinal fusion is major surgery. Discuss each of these with the surgeon and ask about their own complication rates.
- Nerve root injury causing new weakness, numbness or pain
- Dural tear with spinal fluid leak
- Deep wound infection
- Non-union, where the bones fail to fuse, sometimes needing revision
- Screw malposition or hardware loosening
- Blood clots in the legs or lungs
- Adjacent segment degeneration in later years
- Persistent back pain despite a technically sound fusion
Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.
Cost of Spondylolisthesis (Slipped Vertebra) Surgery in Türkiye
Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Spondylolisthesis (Slipped Vertebra) Surgery, because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:
- Number of levels fused and the implants and cages used
- Use of navigation, robotics or nerve monitoring
- Length of hospital stay and any intensive care
- Whether an additional front approach is needed
Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
الأسئلة المتكررة
Will the surgeon push the bone back into place?
Sometimes partly. Forcing a full reduction raises nerve risk and is not needed for a good result.
Will I lose movement?
One fused level makes little noticeable difference to everyday bending.
Can I avoid fusion?
For a stable low-grade slip, decompression alone is an option some surgeons offer. Ask whether it applies to you.
Is a brace needed afterwards?
Often not with modern fixation, though some surgeons advise a soft brace for a few weeks.