Patient: Hello, my father is 60 years old, last year due to a fall from a 3-meter high wall, head injury, did not pay attention to back problems at that time, but this year to the hospital examination was diagnosed as L5 vertebral body bureau anterior II degree slippage, the hospital recommended surgery, at present, he still feels okay, only the left leg occasionally feel a little pain, urination and defecation is normal. I have asked several doctors and they say that conservative treatment is not effective. Is it better to have surgery or conservative treatment in this case? Hello! Whether a lumbar spondylolisthesis should be treated surgically is determined by the manifestation of its signs and symptoms. That is to say, although a spondylolisthesis is seen on the X-ray, if there is no back or leg pain, lower limb numbness, weakness or intermittent claudication, surgical treatment is not considered. Because although he has a slippage, there is no discomfort, so what is the point of surgery? Even if some of the above symptoms exist, but to a lesser extent, surgery would not be considered, as long as some symptomatic treatment and appropriate exercise as well as protection of the lumbar spine are done. For your father’s degree II slippage, the degree should be more obvious, and it is less likely that there will not be long-term back pain and leg pain, so you should also ask the old man carefully about his condition. If there is more obvious lumbar pain, leg pain, leg numbness, limited activities, etc., especially if it persists and gradually worsens, you should consider even surgery, because the condition will also worsen with age, and his own physical condition will get worse and worse, the conditions for receiving surgical treatment will be even worse, so once there is a conservative treatment can not be cured, it is recommended that timely surgical treatment.