Ludwig angina is an uncommon life-threatening diffuse cellulitis of the soft tissue of the floor of the mouth and neck. The condition is named after a German physician, Wilhelm Friedrich von Ludwig, who described it in 1836. Angina comes from the Latin "angere," meaning to choke.
Ludwig angina involves 3 compartments of the floor of the mouth: sublingual, submental, and submandibular. Infection of the lower molars is the hallmark cause of true Ludwig angina; however, this term is frequently applied to any floor-of-the-mouth infection with sublingual or submandibular space involvement. It rapidly progresses to the surrounding tissues, leading to potentially lethal complications, such as airway obstruction, aspiration pneumonia, and carotid arterial rupture or sheath abscess. Therefore, early recognition and treatment, including airway protection, antibiotic therapy, and surgical drainage in well-established infections, are crucial.
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