listhesis

English

Etymology

From reanalysis of spondylolisthesis as spondylo- + listhesis. The second element would be more accurately written olisthesis; it is from Ancient Greek ὀλισθάνω (olisthánō, “to slip, to slide”). Compare olistostrome.

The word first appears in a 1912 medical terminology reference.

Noun

listhesis (plural listheses)

1. A forward (anterior) displacement (slippage) of a vertebra over a lower segment.
   • 2015 July 28, Atul Goel, “Craniovertebral Junction Instability: A Review of Facts about Facets”, in Asian Spine Journal‎^[2], volume 9, →DOI:

     Type 1 facetal malalignment was when the facet of atlas was dislocated anterior to the facet of axis on lateral imaging and simulates lumbosacral listhesis.

2. Any such displacement, anterior or otherwise.

Derived terms

• retrolisthesis
• spondylolisthesis