Ludwig\'s Angina: A Study on Etiology and Factors affecting the Prognosis and Management

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the various etiological factors contributing to the development of Ludwig's angina, factors affecting the prognosis, and various modalities that will help in the management of this potentially dangerous condition and further complications.. Thirty patients with Ludwig's angina were studied. Age, sex, etiological factors, associated systemic diseases, microbiology, antibiotic therapy, duration of hospital stay, and social background of patients were evaluated. Results: Most patients were in the third decade of life; there was a preponderance of females in this study. Dental infection was the most common etiological factor (70%). Neck swelling (100%), pain (83%), fever (75%), and trismus (33%) were the most common complaints. Most common pathogens found were Streptococcus viridans (36.6%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (16.6%), Streptococcus pyogenes (13.3%), and Klebsiella species (10%). Majority of patients (80%) were discharged by 2 weeks following the day of admission. Conclusion: Management of Ludwig's angina can often be challenging. Appropriate and aggressive antibiotic therapy, surgical decompression if required, and removal of infected foci can arrest the progress of disease process and prevent further complications.