MIS TLIF vs Decompression — Reoperation Rates, Long-Term Outcomes for Grade 1 Spondylolisthesis

Background: Degenerative grade 1 spondylolisthesis is commonly treated with decompression alone or decompression with fusion. Prior randomized trials (eg, Spinal Laminectomy Versus Instrumented Pedicle Screw) demonstrated advantages of fusion, but these findings are primarily based on open techniques. With increasing adoption of minimally invasive surgery (MIS), it remains unclear whether fusion confers similar long-term benefits when stabilizing posterior elements are preserved. Objective: To compare 60-month outcomes following MIS transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS TLIF) versus MIS decompression alone. Design/Participants: Prospectively collected multicenter cohort from the Quality Outcomes Database (QOD) including 143 patients (72 MIS TLIF and 71 MIS decompression) with a 5-year follow-up rate of 86.8%. Methods: Outcomes included disability (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI]), back and leg pain (numeric rating scale [NRS-BP, NRS-LP]), health-related quality of life (EQ-5D), more...