Injuries and wounds: Le Fort fractures: practice question

A Forensic Medicine 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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Forensic Medicine · Injuries and wounds: Le Fort fractures

Sample item

After a heavy blow to the face, the entire facial skeleton is separated from the base of the skull and there is cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea. Which fracture is this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Le Fort III

Le Fort III is craniofacial dysjunction, with fracture lines through the zygomatic arches, orbits and nasofrontal junction, and often a dural tear with CSF leak. Le Fort I is a horizontal maxillary fracture and II a pyramidal one through the nose and infraorbital rims.

Option by option

  • A. Le Fort I

    Le Fort I is a horizontal fracture above the teeth that detaches only the palate.

  • B. Tripod fracture of the zygoma

    A tripod fracture involves only the zygoma and does not detach the whole face.

  • C. Le Fort III (correct)

    Correct. Separation of the whole midface from the skull base is Le Fort III.

  • D. Le Fort II

    Le Fort II is a pyramidal fracture and leaves the zygomatic arches attached to the skull.

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 Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is C, Le Fort III. Le Fort III is craniofacial dysjunction, with fracture lines through the zygomatic arches, orbits and nasofrontal junction, and often a dural tear with CSF leak.

Why is "Le Fort I" not the answer?

Le Fort I is a horizontal fracture above the teeth that detaches only the palate.

Why is "Tripod fracture of the zygoma" not the answer?

A tripod fracture involves only the zygoma and does not detach the whole face.

Why is "Le Fort II" not the answer?

Le Fort II is a pyramidal fracture and leaves the zygomatic arches attached to the skull.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Injuries and wounds: Le Fort fractures in Forensic Medicine. Le Fort I is a horizontal maxillary fracture and II a pyramidal one through the nose and infraorbital rims.

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 Injuries and wounds: Le Fort fractures?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine 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.