Ludwig angina: forewarned is forearmed

Abstract

While the incidence of Ludwig angina is decreasing, this is an important disease process because failure to control the airway can have catastrophic consequences. Accurate diagnosis, airway control, antibiotic therapy, and, occasionally, surgical management are essential for patient safety. Ludwig angina is caused by a rapidly expanding cellulitis of the floor of the mouth and is characterized by hardened induration of the floor and suprahyoid region bilaterally with an elevation of the tongue potentially obstructing the airway. In the preantibiotic era, Ludwig angina was frequently fatal; however, antibiotics and aggressive surgical treatment have significantly lowered mortality.