Spine: spondylolisthesis grading: practice question

A Orthopaedics question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Orthopaedics · Spine: spondylolisthesis grading

Sample item

A 15-year-old gymnast has low back pain, and a lateral radiograph shows L5 displaced forward by 40 percent of the width of the S1 body. What is the Meyerding grade?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Grade II

The Meyerding grades are I (0 to 25 percent), II (25 to 50 percent), III (50 to 75 percent), IV (75 to 100 percent) and V (spondyloptosis). Isthmic spondylolisthesis at L5-S1 is common in young athletes who have pars defects.

Option by option

  • A. Grade IV

    Grade IV is 75 to 100 percent.

  • B. Grade I

    Grade I is up to 25 percent.

  • C. Grade III

    Grade III is 50 to 75 percent.

  • D. Grade II (correct)

    Correct. A 40 percent slip is grade II.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Orthopaedics question

What is the answer to this Orthopaedics question?

The best answer is D, Grade II. The Meyerding grades are I (0 to 25 percent), II (25 to 50 percent), III (50 to 75 percent), IV (75 to 100 percent) and V (spondyloptosis).

Why is "Grade IV" not the answer?

Grade IV is 75 to 100 percent.

Why is "Grade I" not the answer?

Grade I is up to 25 percent.

Why is "Grade III" not the answer?

Grade III is 50 to 75 percent.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Spine: spondylolisthesis grading in Orthopaedics. Isthmic spondylolisthesis at L5-S1 is common in young athletes who have pars defects.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Spine: spondylolisthesis grading?

Pair each fracture with its classic complication and nerve injured. Then use the flashcards and the other Orthopaedics questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.