North American Spine Society releases adult isthmic spondylolisthesis guidelines

The North American Spine Society has announced the release of an evidence-based tool to help diagnose and treat adult isthmic spondylolisthesis.

The document, “Evidence-Based Guideline: Diagnosis and Treatment of Adult Isthmic Spondylolisthesis,” is available via free download at the society’s website.

The new guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations to address key clinical questions surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of adult isthmic spondylolisthesis. Each guideline recommendation received a grade from the guideline development committee depending on the strength of the available scientific evidence:

l A = Recommended;

l B = Suggested;

l C = May be considered; and

l I = Insufficient or conflicting evidence.

The North American Spine Society (NASS) guideline development panels are multidisciplinary and include surgeons, nonsurgeons and nonphysician practitioners. The 89-page guidelines document is not meant to represent a “standard of care,” nor is it intended as a fixed treatment protocol. Rather, it is intended to reflect contemporary treatment concepts for adult isthmic spondylolisthesis as found in the highest quality clinical literature available as of June 2013, according to a press release.

“Staying current on research in the growing field of spine care is tough for today’s busy spine specialists,” D. Scott Kreiner, MD, a physiatrist and co-chair of the NASS Evidence-Based Guideline Development Committee, stated in the release. “This handy online document provides a quick, yet comprehensive foundation from which to base effective therapy for patients, backed by the strongest available evidence.”

Reference:
www.spine.org