Incidence of symptomatic spondylolithiasis in Northern Ghana

• Main Authors: C.B. Kuubiere, A. Alhassan, K. Opare-Asamoah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Al Ameen Medical College 2015-10-01
• Series: Al Ameen Journal of Medical Sciences
• Subjects: Symptomatic; Spinal; Lumbar Spondylolithiasis; Northern Ghana
• Online Access: http://ajms.alameenmedical.org/ArticlePDFs/5%20AJMS%20V8.N4.2015%20p%20254-258.pdf
• ISSN: 0974-1143; 0974-1143

Background: Low back pain disorders are an increasingly common and costly health problems in the western countries. For these patients, the return to work is their most important input to outcome measure of medical care. The incidence of spondylolithiasis varies from place to place, age, sex, association with certain disease states, fall from heights, previous road traffic accidents (trauma) among others. Conservative therapy is usually the initial treatment of choice. In Northern Ghana many people complain of low back pain, yet there has not been any scientific study on the incidence of lumbar spine spondylolithiasis. The aim of the present study is to retrospectively investigate the incidence of lumbar spondylolithiasis in Northern Ghana. Study Design: Retrospective. Place and Duration: Tania Specialist Orthopaedic Hospital, Tamale, Ghana, from January 2010 -December 2013. Methodology: Data regarding patient’s age, sex and radiographic interpretations were retrieved and entered for analysis from January 2010- December 2013. Results: The incidence of symptomatic lumbar spondylolithiasis over the study period was 6.02% of all orthopaedic cases that reported to Tania Specialist Orthopaedic Hospital. Majority of the patients 219(75.78%) of symptomatic spondylolithesis were aged 20-59 years. From this age group 121 patients (55.25 %) were females. Out of a total of 289 patients who reported with the condition over the four (4) year period, 129 cases (44.64%) were males and 160 patients (55.36%) were females. The male to female ratio was 1:1,2. The year with the highest reporting cases was 2011 recording 110 patients, representing 38.06%. Majority of patients 262 (90.66%) were managed conservatively, while only 27 cases (9.34 %) had decompression laminectomy surgery done. The total number of orthopaedic cases within the period under review was 4,800. Conclusion: The incidence of symptomatic spondylolithiasis among the study subjects was relatively high (6.02%). Most were females in their active youthful years and majority of cases were managed conservatively.