Flexion teardrop fracture

Short description: Fracture of the spine

Flexion teardrop fracture

Teardrop fracture of the cervical spine before and after treatment with metal fixation
Specialty| Orthopedic

A flexion teardrop fracture is a fracture of the anteroinferior aspect of a cervical vertebral body due to flexion of the spine along with vertical axial compression.[1] The fracture continues sagittally through the vertebral body, and is associated with deformity of the body and subluxation or dislocation of the facet joints at the injured level.[2] A flexion teardrop fracture is usually associated with a spinal cord injury, often a result of displacement of the posterior portion of the vertebral body into the spinal canal.[3]

The flexion teardrop fracture should not be confused with a similar-looking vertebral fracture called "extension teardrop fracture". Both usually occur in the cervical spine, but as their names suggest, they result from different mechanisms (flexion-compression vs. hyperextension). Both are associated with a small fragment being broken apart from the anteroinferior corner of the affected vertebra.[4] Flexion teardrop fractures usually involve instability in all elements of the spine at the injured level, commonly occur at the C4-C7 vertebra, and have a high association with spinal cord injury (in particular anterior cord syndrome). In comparison, the extension-type fracture occurs more commonly at C2 or C3, causes less if any disruption to the middle and posterior elements, and does not usually result in spinal cord injury (however, it may co-occur with more serious spine injuries).[2]

## References

1. ↑ Davenport, Moira (2022-11-01). "Cervical Spine Fracture Evaluation: Practice Essentials, Flexion Injury, Flexion-Rotation Injury". https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/824380-overview.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Harvey, Hugh (2023-01-25). "Flexion teardrop fracture". https://radiopaedia.org/articles/flexion-teardrop-fracture-1?lang=us.
3. ↑ Brant, W.E.; Helms, C. (2012). Fundamentals of Diagnostic Radiology. Wolters Kluwer Health. p. 1110. ISBN 978-1-4511-7139-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=uVeUWa3-1o8C. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
4. ↑ Cirillo, Ignacio; Blanco, Sebastián; Cabello, Sebastián; Ricciardi, Guillermo; Guiroy, Alfredo; Yurac, Ratko (2025-10-01). "Flexion teardrop fracture of the cervical spine: a narrative review". EFORT Open Reviews 10 (10): 806–814. doi:10.1530/EOR-2025-0010. PMID 41031621.

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Fractures and cartilage damage

General|

* Avulsion fracture
* Chalkstick fracture
* Greenstick fracture
* Open fracture
* Pathologic fracture
* Spiral fracture

Head|

* Basilar skull fracture
* Blowout fracture
* Mandibular fracture
* Nasal fracture
* Le Fort fracture of skull
* Zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture
* Zygoma fracture

Spinal fracture|

* Cervical fracture
* Jefferson fracture
* Hangman's fracture
* Flexion teardrop fracture
* Clay-shoveler fracture
* Burst fracture
* Compression fracture
* Chance fracture
* Holdsworth fracture

Ribs|

* Rib fracture
* Sternal fracture

Shoulder fracture|

* Clavicle
* Scapular

Arm fracture|

| Humerus fracture:|

* Proximal
* Supracondylar
* Holstein–Lewis fracture

|

Forearm fracture:|

* Ulna fracture
* Monteggia fracture
* Hume fracture
* Radius fracture/Distal radius
* Galeazzi
* Colles'
* Smith's
* Barton's
* Essex-Lopresti fracture

Hand fracture|

* Scaphoid
* Rolando
* Bennett's
* Boxer's
* Busch's

Pelvic fracture|

* Duverney fracture
* Pipkin fracture

Leg|

| Tibia fracture:|

* Bumper fracture
* Segond fracture
* Gosselin fracture
* Toddler's fracture
* Pilon fracture
* Plafond fracture
* Tillaux fracture

|

Fibular fracture:|

* Maisonneuve fracture
* Le Fort fracture of ankle
* Bosworth fracture

Combined tibia and fibula fracture:|

* Trimalleolar fracture
* Bimalleolar fracture
* Pott's fracture

Crus fracture:|

* Patella fracture

Femoral fracture:|

* Hip fracture

Foot fracture|

* Lisfranc
* Jones
* March
* Calcaneal

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