Ludwig's angina, named after the German physician Wilhelm Friedrich von Ludwig (1836), is a rapidly progressive and potentially fatal gangrenous diffuse cellulitis or necrotizing fasciitis of soft tissue of the head and neck region that commonly (90% of the cases) originates from a dental infection. Other predisposing factors for Ludwig’s angina include diabetes, oral malignancies, dental caries, malnutrition, and immunocompromised status.
The differential diagnoses include Lemierre’s syndrome, sublingual hematoma, salivary gland abscess, lingual carcinoma, and peritonsillar abscess. Answer these interesting questions and refresh your knowledge of Ludwig’s angina!
