Ludwigs Angina as an Odontogenic Infection: Management and Characteristics of Fifteen Patients

Ludwig�s angina is an acute infection that can be sourced from the teeth and involves submental, sublingual, and submandibular spaces which can rapidly develop into hemodynamic instability and airway obstruction. Objectives: To analyze the management and characteristics of fifteen Ludwig�s angina patients in Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia. A retrospective analysis of fifteen patients with Ludwig�s angina who had been treated at Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia in 2016. There were 15 cases with 12 males and three females. Odontogenic infections have caused all these cases. Twelve patients were sepsis, and six patients had an underlying disease such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Microbiological investigations showed a polymicrobial nature of the infection with Streptococcus viridans in 8 cases. Treatment involved maximum doses of broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics, immediate surgical drainage under local anesthesia, including extraction of affected teeth as source control. Mortality occurred in two cases. Ludwig�s angina is a severe odontogenic infection. Delay in treatment can be life-threatening. Immediate clinical evaluation and definitive treatment will significantly improve its prognosis and reduce the risk of mortality.