Summary Subaxial cervical vertebral body fractures are a subset of cervical spine injuries that consist of compression fractures, burst fractures, flexion teardrop fractures, and extension teardrop avulsion fractures Diagnosis is made with radiographs of the cervical spine. CT scan can be helpful for fracture characterization and surgical planning Treatment can be nonoperative or surgical stabilization depending on fracture pattern, mechanical stability, and the presence of neurologic deficits Etiology Types compression fracture characterized by login to view 2 more bullets burst fracture characterized by login to view 2 more bullets prognosis login to view 1 more bullet treatment login to view 1 more bullet flexion teardrop fracture characterized by login to view 4 more bullets prognosis login to view 1 more bullet treatment login to view 1 more bullet extension teardrop avulsion fracture characterized by login to view 3 more bullets mechanism login to view 1 more bullet prognosis login to view 1 more bullet treatment login to view 1 more bullet Subaxial Spine Injury Classification Allen and Ferguson classification of subaxial spine injuries typically used for research and not in the clinical setting based solely on static radiographic appearance and mechanisms of injury six groups represent a spectrum of anatomic disruption and include: flexion-compression vertical compression flexion-distraction extension-compression extension-distraction lateral flexion Radiographic description classification of subaxial spine injuries more commonly used in clinical setting includes: compression fracture burst fracture flexion-distraction injury facet dislocation (unilateral or bilateral) facet fracture Presentation Symptoms incomplete vs. complete SCI Imaging MRI must determine whether there is a posterior ligamentous injury Treatment Nonoperative collar immobilization for 6-12 weeks indications login to view 2 more bullets external halo immobilization indications login to view 1 more bullet Operative anterior decompression, corpectomy, strut graft, and fusion with instrumentation indications login to view 4 more bullets early decompression (<24 hours) has been shown to improve neurologic outcomes compared with delayed (≥24 hours) decompression posterior decompression and fusion with instrumentation indications login to view 2 more bullets