Case study 134 - Cervical spinal cord injury from diving Flexion teardrop fractures represent a fracture pattern occurring in severe axial/flexion injury of the cervical spine. They are important to recognize because they indicate extensive underlying ligamentous injury and spinal instability. Associated spinal cord injury is common, especially anterior cervical cord syndrome and quadriplegia. The injury typically occurs from severe flexion and compression forces (e.g. diving impact, deceleratio

Cervical teardrop fractures are severe injuries typically caused by high-energy trauma, most often from axial compression or flexion forces that produce a triangular fragment at the anteroinferior vertebral body. Diagnosis is made with CT to define the fracture pattern and instability, while MRI assesses associated ligamentous or spinal cord injury. Management usually requires urgent immobilization and often surgical stabilization due to the high risk of instability and neurological compromise.