The three types of Le Fort fractures were named after Dr. Rene Le Fort, the French surgeon who first described the fractures in the early 20th century. In reality, not all maxillary fractures fit into these three categories, and fractures may actually be a combination of the three types of Le Fort fractures.

Symptoms of a Le Fort III Fracture

Common symptoms are obvious visible trauma, bleeding, pain, swelling and tenderness. Patients with Le Fort III fractures may have anosmia (loss of smell) due to fracture of the cribriform plate (the horizontal plate of the ethmoid bone). Patients may also have a condition called “dish face deformity” in which the face appears somewhat concave due to blunt trauma.

Surgery, Treatment and Recovery

Le Fort III fractures are serious injuries that are often associated with traumatic brain injuries, and other facial fractures:

Treatment of a Le Fort III fracture will vary depending on the severity of the fracture, whether the patient also suffered any sort of brain swelling or traumatic brain injury, and whether the patient suffered other facial fractures. Open reduction, internal fixation (ORIF) surgery may be used to stabilize displaced fractures. Cosmetic surgery may also be necessary because trauma can result in severe damage to the skin, underlying skull and maxillofacial bones.  Facial trauma patients may be cared for by a team of specialists, including plastic surgeons, oral surgeons, orthodontists, opthamologists, otalaryngologists, and neurosurgeons.

Cerebral Spinal Fluid Rhinorrhea

Le Fort III fractures predispose the patient to cerebral spinal fluid leakage (CSF rhinorrhea), a loss of the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Diagnosis may be made using an x-ray with contrast dye, MRI, and injection of a radioisotope in the spinal fluid. With any CSF leak, there is the possibility of infection, which could be fatal. Most CSF rhinorrhea cases heal on their own over the course of a few days.

Broken Facial Bone Personal Injury Claims

The personal injury attorneys at Estey & Bomberger, an AV-rated law firm, represent victims of serious and catastrophic injuries throughout California. Our experienced team of personal injury lawyers has more than 70 years of collective experience obtaining millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients (see our case results). If you or someone in your family has suffered a Le Fort III fracture, or any other facial fracture or broken bone injury, contact us for a free case evaluation and an honest opinion of your case. To schedule your consultation, call Estey & Bomberger at(800) 925-0723.