{"title":"Flexion teardrop fracture of the cervical spine: a narrative review.","authors":"Ignacio Cirillo, Sebastián Blanco, Sebastián Cabello, Guillermo Ricciardi, Alfredo Guiroy, Ratko Yurac","doi":"10.1530/EOR-2025-0010","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Teardrop fractures of the cervical spine are characterized by a triangular-shaped fragment located in the anteroinferior corner of the vertebral body. Flexion-type teardrop fractures are highly unstable injuries resulting from a flexion-compression mechanism. A notable feature of these injuries is retrolisthesis of the vertebral body, which is often associated with a high risk of neurological compromise. The anterior approach is the most commonly used surgical treatment for flexion-type teardrop fractures. In contrast, extension-type teardrop fractures primarily affect the axis vertebral body and are generally stable injuries that can be treated nonoperatively.</p>","PeriodicalId":48598,"journal":{"name":"Efort Open Reviews","volume":"10 10","pages":"806-814"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12497533/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Efort Open Reviews","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1530/EOR-2025-0010","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ORTHOPEDICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Teardrop fractures of the cervical spine are characterized by a triangular-shaped fragment located in the anteroinferior corner of the vertebral body. Flexion-type teardrop fractures are highly unstable injuries resulting from a flexion-compression mechanism. A notable feature of these injuries is retrolisthesis of the vertebral body, which is often associated with a high risk of neurological compromise. The anterior approach is the most commonly used surgical treatment for flexion-type teardrop fractures. In contrast, extension-type teardrop fractures primarily affect the axis vertebral body and are generally stable injuries that can be treated nonoperatively.
期刊介绍:
EFORT Open Reviews publishes high-quality instructional review articles across the whole field of orthopaedics and traumatology. Commissioned, peer-reviewed articles from international experts summarize current knowledge and practice in orthopaedics, with the aim of providing systematic coverage of the field. All articles undergo rigorous scientific editing to ensure the highest standards of accuracy and clarity.
This continuously published online journal is fully open access and will provide integrated CME. It is an authoritative resource for educating trainees and supports practising orthopaedic surgeons in keeping informed about the latest clinical and scientific advances.
One print issue containing a selection of papers from the journal will be published each year to coincide with the EFORT Annual Congress.
EFORT Open Reviews is the official journal of the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT) and is published in partnership with The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.