Fracture of C2 (dens)
Bimodal age distribution
Young - injury secondary to blunt trauma to head or flexion/extension injury
Elderly - injury secondary to fall, higher morbidity/mortality than young patients
Increased risk of fracture due to bone loss, which is disproportionate at C2 relative to rest of skeleton
Frequently associated with other cervical spine injuries
25% associated with neurologic injury/deficit
Os<unk> eum (normal variant) can look like a Type II<unk>  on imaging, causing false postive
Young - injury secondary to blunt trauma to head or flexion/extension injury
Elderly - injury secondary to fall, higher morbidity/mortality than young patients
Increased risk of fracture due to bone loss, which is disproportionate at C2 relative to rest of skeleton
Increased risk of fracture due to bone loss, which is disproportionate at C2 relative to rest of skeleton
Type I: Oblique avulsion fracture of tip of<unk> ; alar ligament avulsion
Stable fracture
Type II: Fracture at base of<unk>  where it meets C2 body
Unstable fracture
High risk of nonunion (30%) due to interruption of blood supply
Type III: Extension of the fracture through upper portion of body of C2
Unstable fracture
Stable fracture
Unstable fracture
High risk of nonunion (30%) due to interruption of blood supply
Unstable fracture
Cervical fractures and dislocations
Atlanto-occipital dissociation
C1
Jefferson fracture
C1 isolated anterior arch fracture
C1 isolated posterior arch fracture
C2<unk> 
Hangman's fracture
C3-C7
Cervical burst fracture
Cervical spinous process fracture
Extension cervical teardrop fracture
Flexion cervical teardrop fracture
Anterior cervical wedge fracture
Cervical facet dislocation
Isolated transverse process fracture
Thoracic and lumbar fractures and dislocations
Chance fracture
Thoracic burst fracture
Lumbar burst fracture
Isolated transverse process fracture
Thoracic and lumbar compression fractures
Atlanto-occipital dissociation
C1
Jefferson fracture
C1 isolated anterior arch fracture
C1 isolated posterior arch fracture
C2<unk> 
Hangman's fracture
C3-C7
Cervical burst fracture
Cervical spinous process fracture
Extension cervical teardrop fracture
Flexion cervical teardrop fracture
Anterior cervical wedge fracture
Cervical facet dislocation
Isolated transverse process fracture
Jefferson fracture
C1 isolated anterior arch fracture
C1 isolated posterior arch fracture<unk> 
Hangman's fracture
Cervical burst fracture
Cervical spinous process fracture
Extension cervical teardrop fracture
Flexion cervical teardrop fracture
Anterior cervical wedge fracture
Chance fracture
Thoracic burst fracture
Lumbar burst fracture
Isolated transverse process fracture
Thoracic and lumbar compression fractures
Odontoid fracture
Penetrating neck trauma
Nasal fracture
Blunt neck trauma
Trapezium fracture
Vertebral and carotid artery dissection
Trapezoid fracture
Strangulation