Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw complicated by Ludwig's angina

Ludwig's angina is a life-threatening cellulitis that involves the submandibular and sublingual spaces. It often occurs after an infection of the roots of the teeth. However, modern dental care and use of antibiotics for oral infections have made Ludwig's angina rare. We present here a cancer patient exhibiting the sequential features of bisphosphonate related osteonecrosis of the jaw on bone scan complicating with Ludwig's angina. This report highlights the need for medical practitioners to be alert to these rare combinations in the compromised patient after bisphosphonate therapy. To the best of our knowledge, no case of Ludwig's angina secondary to osteonecrosis of the jaw has been reported.