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Updated: Jul 28, 2026
Creating Rigidly Stabilized Fractures for Assessing Intramembranous Ossification, Distraction Osteogenesis, or Healing of Critical Sized Defects
Published on: April 11, 2012
Secondary fractures of Le Fort I osteotomy
M W Wilson1, P Maheshwari, K Stokes
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee, Memphis, College of Medicine, 38163, USA.
Purpose:
To report the ophthalmic complications of Le Fort I osteotomy for the correction of dentofacial deformities and to determine the maximal compressive loads applied during pterygomaxillary separation in a cadaver model.
Methods:
Two cases of ophthalmic complications arising after Le Fort I osteotomy are reported. Le Fort I osteotomy was performed on five cadavers. The maximal compressive load applied during pterygomaxillary separation was recorded with a 10 kN (3,000 lbf) load cell of a MTS Mini-Bionix servo-hydraulic machine (MTS, Eden Prairie, MN, U.S.A.). A paired t test was used to compare forces applied to the right and left sides. Computed tomography scans of each specimen were obtained after Le Fort I osteotomy to document secondary fractures. The skulls were subsequently stained with 1% fuschin red to highlight secondary fractures.
Results:
Maximum compressive loads during pterygomaxillary separation ranged from 22 N (5.0 lbf) to 162 N (36.5 lbf), with an average of 106 N (23.8 lbf) (SD 47.6 N [10.7 lbf]). Forces applied on the first operative side were significantly greater than forces applied on the second operative side (p = 0.0034). Secondary fractures were found in three specimens by computed tomography and in two specimens by 1% fuschin red. All secondary fractures occurred on the second operative side.
Conclusion:
Secondary fractures in the Le Fort I osteotomy procedures occurred on the side opposite the greater maximal compressive load and on the second operative side.
