Le Fort fractures are the fractures that separate mid-face from the skull.
Classification
All of these subtypes involve a fracture of the pterygoid plate.
LeFort type | Fracture configuration | Mnemonic | Mnemonic |
I | Horizontal | Floating palate | Speak no evil – fracture through maxilla just above roots of teeth (affects speaking) |
II | Pyramidal | Floating maxilla | See no evil – slightly higher; triangle around nasal cavity with apex into inferior part of orbit (also affects seeing) |
III | Transverse a.k.a Craniofacial dysjunction | Floating face | Hear no evil – higher; goes through middle of orbit and base of skull (also affects hearing) |
IV | Lefort III + frontal bone involvement |
Further reading: Lefort Fractures – EyeWiki (aao.org)