Treatment of unilateral cervical facet fractures without evidence of dislocation or subluxation: a narrative review and proposed treatment algorithm

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<jats:p>Isolated cervical spine facet fractures are often overlooked.</jats:p>
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<jats:p>The primary imaging modality for diagnosing these injuries is a computed tomography scan.</jats:p>
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<jats:p>Treatment of unilateral cervical facet fractures without evidence of dislocation or subluxation remains controversial. The available evidence regarding treatment options for these fractures is of low quality.</jats:p>
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<jats:p>Risk factors associated with the failure of nonoperative treatment are: comminution of the articular mass or facet joint, acute radiculopathy, high body mass index, listhesis exceeding 2 mm, fragmental diastasis, acute disc injury, and bilateral fractures or fractures that adversely affect 40% of the intact lateral mass height or have an absolute height of 1 cm.</jats:p>
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Cirillo, J. I., Ricciardi, G. A., Alvarez Lemos, F. L., Guiroy, A., Yurac, R., Schnake, K., & __. (2024). Treatment of unilateral cervical facet fractures without evidence of dislocation or subluxation: A narrative review and proposed treatment algorithm. EFORT Open Reviews, 9(3), 202-209. https://doi.org/10.1530/EOR-23-0161