Head and Neck ImagingLe fort fracture
(Lon-Clment Le Fort, 1829 - 1893, French surgeon), classification of maxillofacial fractures. In a Le Fort I fracture there is detachment of the upper jaw from the remainder of the maxillofacial skeleton, while in a Le Fort II fracture a pyramidal fracture configuration is present. A Le Fort III fracture is characterized by separation of the entire facial skeleton from the skull base; the distinguishing feature with Le Fort II is the inclusion of the zygomas and lateral orbital floor. Le Fort fractures are often combined with other types of fractures (such as a tripod fracture, see zygomatic fractures). In contrast to the nasoethmoidal or naso-orbital fracture (see facial fractures), a dissipation of the traumatic force over the maxillofacial skeleton has occurred in Le Fort fracture complexes. Three-dimensional CT-reconstructions are useful in complicated maxillofacial fractures (including Le Fort fractures), allowing a more rapid assimilation of the information provided by CT and better showing the displacement of the fracture fragments (Fig.1).
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Axial CT image (a) through the maxillofacial skeleton showing an obvious detachment and displacement of the left zygoma. Although the fractures through both pterygoid processes and the nasal septum suggest the presence of a Le Fort fracture complex, this is much more easily recognized on the three-dimensional reconstruction (b): Le Fort I fracture, with extension into the inferior orbital rims.
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Le fort fracture, Fig.1 (a) | | Le fort fracture, Fig.1 (b) | |