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We present a case of percutaneous fixation of a "carrot-stick" spinal fracture in an elderly patient with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). A surgical stabilization was not possible in this 83-year-old man with comorbidities. Under local anesthesia, percutaneous screw fixation of a transdiscal shear fracture at the level T10-T11 was performed using computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopy guidance. Two 4.0-mm Asnis III cannulated screws were placed to fix facet joints using transfacet pedicle pathway. The procedure time was 30 min. Using the visual analog scale (VAS), pain decreased from 10, preoperatively, to 1 after the procedure. Radiographic fusion was observed at a 3-month post-procedural CT scan. CT- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous screw fixation of spinal fractures could potentially be an alternative to surgery in elderly AS patients with poor performance status.

To evaluate and compare two groups of patients with sciatica due to intervertebral disc herniation with no neurologic deficit. The groups consisted of patients with intervertebral disc herniation in a medial location (group 1) and those in a lateral location (group 2).A total of 200 patients were included in the study and were followed for a minimum of 6 months. In our series, we treated 80 postero-lateral herniated discs (40% of cases), 46 postero-medial herniated discs (23%), and 74 foraminal herniated discs (37%). Level L3-L4 was treated in 30 cases (15%), L4-L5 in 98 cases (49%), and L5-S1 in 72 cases (36%). The procedure was performed under dual guidance: fluoroscopic and CT. A helical probe was activated. It penetrates the herniated disc and causes the pulpous material to be mechanically evacuated through the probe. All 200 patients were followed for a minimum of 6 months.In group 1, the patients had a mean pain score of 7.9 ± 2.5 VAS units (range 6-10 units) prior to intervention. This was reduced to 3.2 ± 2.1 VAS units (range 0-10 units) at 48 h follow-up and increased to 3.9 ± 1.2 VAS units (range 0-10 VAS units) at 1 month follow-up and further reduced to 2.7 ± 1.2 units (range 0-10 VAS units) at 6 month follow-up. In group 2, the patients had a mean pain score of 8.2 ± 3.2 VAS units (range 6-10 units) prior to intervention. This was reduced to 2.8 ± 1.5 VAS units (range 0-10 units) at 48 h follow-up and decreased to 1.5 ± 0.9 VAS units (range 0-10 units) at 1 month and further reduced to 1.1 ± 0.5 VAS units (range 0-10 units) at 6 months.Our study showed that results were more satisfactory for the hernia located laterally (postero-lateral, foraminal, and extra-foraminal) as compared to the hernia located posteromedially.