Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Practice Test

The Le Fort classification describes various types of maxillary fractures that have specific characteristics regarding their pattern of injury. A Le Fort II fracture, which is the answer, is characterized by a pyramidal shape where there is mobility of the nasal area and the palate. This type of fracture typically involves the nasal bridge, the maxilla, and adjacent structures, leading to instability and movement.

In contrast, a Le Fort I fracture involves a horizontal split of the maxilla above the teeth, allowing for some mobility but does not typically include the nasal structures to the same extent. A Le Fort III fracture is more severe and entails the complete separation of the facial skeleton from the cranial base, resulting in more significant instability and mobility of the entire midface, but it does not directly characterize movement of just the nose and palate. A mandibular fracture, while it does occur in the facial area, does not pertain to the characteristics identified in the question related to the nose and palate. Therefore, Le Fort II is the appropriate choice as it specifically represents the fracture type associated with mobility in those areas.