Ludwig’s angina - an emergency complication arising from delayed dental treatment: The experience in a Nigerian tertiary institution

Thomas Owobu (Department of Dental and Maxillofacial, Federal Medical Center, Nguru, Yobe State)
Edugie Ekuase (Department of Chemistry and Forensic Sciences, Savannah State University, Georgia)
Oba O. Azah (Department of Dental and Maxillofacial, Federal Medical Center, Nguru, Yobe State)
Sulaiman S. Adamu (Department of Dental and Maxillofacial, Federal Medical Center, Nguru, Yobe State)
Babatunde O. Bamgbose (Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Bayero University Kano, Kano)

Journal of Dentomaxillofacial Science
Vol. 5 No. 2 (2020): (Available online: 1 August 2020)

Objective: The aim of this paper was to report two cases and management of Ludwig’s angina in a Nigerian tertiary health facilty.Methods: Ludwig’s angina is an acute onset, potentially life-threatening surgical emergency in young adults that presents with rapidly expanding, diffuse inflammation of the submandibular and sublingual spaces, mostly from odontogenic infections.Results: One of the sequelae is airway compromise. Given the sparse health facilities and poor access to health, we observed an increasing rate of Ludwig’s angina secondary to odontogenic infections in our practice. We present two cases of Ludwig’s Angina arising from delayed dental treatment.Conclusion: Socioeconomic status and unrest due to insurgency have hampered early presentation and management