Ludwig's angina, a rare complication of mandibular fractures

Traumas are a major problem worldwide. A considerable proportion of traumas are located in the cephalic extremity. Neglect of these disorders by patients or those responsible for patient management may result in particularly serious consequences. This paper presents the case of a 58-year-old male patient with an intraorally open mandibular fracture, which left untreated for 3 days, was complicated by Ludwig's angina. Following aggressive surgical treatment during which the mandibular fracture was manually reduced and immobilized with a metal splint fixed with circumdental wires and effective antibiotic therapy, the septic process was terminated and the patient's fracture and infected wound were healed. The correct and rapid treatment of open mandibular fractures is mandatory in order to avoid severe septic complications.