Fig. 1

Clinical diagnosis and surgical treatment. Preoperative sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) depicting the L5-S1 disc herniation immediately before surgery. The herniated disc can clearly be seen protruding into the spinal cord (a). Postoperative sagittal computed tomography (CT) scan immediately following surgery and transverse X-ray image of screws and interbody device at L5-S1 1 week later, both demonstrating accurate screw placement into the vertebral pedicles. It is clear that there was no protrusion of the screws into the spinal cord, and the pedicle was therefore properly tapped (b and c)