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

• Isolated cervical spine facet fractures are often overlooked. • The primary imaging modality for diagnosing these injuries is a computed tomography scan. • 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. • 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.