Figure 1 Illustrating the following steps in the surgical procedure, with the top end representing the medial side, the bottom end the lateral side, the left side the cranial end, and the right side the caudal end: (A) Exposure of the herniated intervertebral disc. (B) Use of an annulus fibrosus opener to design the position and direction of the tear, as indicated by the red arrow. (C) Nucleus pulposus removal for decompression. (D, E) Filling the annulus fibrosus tear with gelatin sponge to reduce the leakage of inflammatory substances from the disc and prevent the early extrusion of small fragments of the nucleus pulposus. (F) Insertion of the first needle close to the nerve root at the edge of the tear in the direction indicated by the red arrow. (G) Insertion of the second needle away from the nerve root at the edge of the tear in the direction indicated by the red arrow with the green arrow indicating the first suture line. (H) Tightening of the suture line to move the knot indicated by the red arrow away from the nerve root. (I) After knotting is complete, cutting off the suture line marked by the red arrow, leaving the suture line marked by the green arrow. (J) Insertion of the third needle at the position indicated by the red arrow. (K) Completion of the third suture line knotting. (L) Cutting off the knot. (M) Three knots marked by red arrows, showing the effect after suturing the annulus fibrosus slope. (N) Placement of a drainage tube.