Thoracic spine teardrop fracture – A case report

Abstract

This is a case report of a young man who suffered from an anterior inferior angle fracture (teardrop) of the thoracic spine at the dorsal spine third vertebra (D3). It was due to a road traffic accident and led to paraplegia and hypoesthesia below D7 dermatome. The patient was treated with decompression and posterior stabilization using pedicle screw fixation followed by physiotherapy. Teardrop fracture is a type of cervical fracture that is associated with high morbidity and mortality due to its instability, with no reported similar fracture pattern at the thoracic spine level. This is a unique case of a thoracic teardrop fracture that was treated surgically with a posterior approach, a good clinical outcome, and 18 months follow-up.