Bilateral Submandibular Gland Infection Presenting as Ludwig's Angina: First Report of a Case

Abstract

We diagnosed and treated a case of Ludwig's angina in a 45-year-old man who had edema of the floor of mouth and the tongue along with bilateral submandibular sialadenitis and sialolithiasis. We secured the patient's airway via nasal fiberoptic intubation in the surgical intensive care unit and administered intravenous antibiotics. The edema subsided, and the patient was extubated on the third postoperative day and discharged shortly thereafter. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a patient with bilateral submandibular sialadenitis and sialolithiasis presenting as Ludwig's angina. Despite the decreasing incidence of this disease, Ludwig's angina remains an important disease process because a failure to control the airway can have disastrous consequences. Proper diagnosis, airway control, antibiotic therapy, and occasionally surgical management are essential to ensure the safety of the patient.