Tear drop fracture of lower cervical spine implies -

Severe injuries are due to axial compression of the cervical spine, usually in diving or athletic accidents . If veebral body is crushed in neutral position of the neck the result is burst fracture. *With combined axial compression & flexion ,an antero- inferior fragment of the veebral body is sheared off , producing eponymous &;tear drop&; on lateral x- ray .in both type there is a risk of posterior displacement of the veebral body fragment & spinal cord injury . * plain x- ray - flexion deformity with a triangular fragment separated from antero- inferior edge of the fractured veebra REF : MAHESWARI 9TH ED