Head and neck: Le Fort fractures: practice question

A Anatomy question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anatomy · Head and neck: Le Fort fractures

Sample item

After a road accident, a patient's upper teeth and hard palate move as a single unit independent of the rest of the face. The nasal bridge and orbital margins are stable. Which fracture is this?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Le Fort I (horizontal maxillary fracture)

The Le Fort I fracture is a horizontal fracture of the maxilla above the teeth, separating the alveolar process and hard palate (floating palate) from the upper face. Le Fort II involves the nasal bridge, medial orbit and infraorbital margin, and Le Fort III detaches the facial skeleton from the cranial base.

Option by option

  • A. Le Fort III (craniofacial dysjunction)

    Le Fort III separates the entire midface at the zygomatic arch, orbit and nasofrontal region.

  • B. Le Fort II (pyramidal midface fracture)

    Le Fort II moves the nose with the maxilla because the fracture crosses the nasal bridge and infraorbital rim.

  • C. Le Fort I (horizontal maxillary fracture) (correct)

    Correct. The palate and alveolar process float freely in Le Fort I.

  • D. Isolated zygomatic tripod fracture

    A tripod fracture involves the zygoma and does not make the palate mobile.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is C, Le Fort I (horizontal maxillary fracture). The Le Fort I fracture is a horizontal fracture of the maxilla above the teeth, separating the alveolar process and hard palate (floating palate) from the upper face.

Why is "Le Fort III (craniofacial dysjunction)" not the answer?

Le Fort III separates the entire midface at the zygomatic arch, orbit and nasofrontal region.

Why is "Le Fort II (pyramidal midface fracture)" not the answer?

Le Fort II moves the nose with the maxilla because the fracture crosses the nasal bridge and infraorbital rim.

Why is "Isolated zygomatic tripod fracture" not the answer?

A tripod fracture involves the zygoma and does not make the palate mobile.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Head and neck: Le Fort fractures in Anatomy. Le Fort II involves the nasal bridge, medial orbit and infraorbital margin, and Le Fort III detaches the facial skeleton from the cranial base.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Head and neck: Le Fort fractures?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.