Airway management in Ludwig's angina

A 37-year-old 91 kg man presented with features of Ludwig's angina. Anaesthesia for incision and drainage of his submandibular abscess was undertaken by two specialist anaesthetists with an otorhinolaryngological surgeon prepared for immediate tracheostomy. After preoxygenation, gas induction with sevoflurane in oxygen was followed by a gush of pus into the oral cavity and laryngospam causing acute upper airway obstruction. This resolved with 25 mg of suxamethonium and an endotracheal tube was passed into the trachea with difficulty. Options for management of the difficult airway in Ludwig's angina are discussed.     

Surgical management of Ludwig's angina

BACKGROUND: Ludwig's angina (LA) is a dangerous surgical condition that can cause severe airway compromise and death. There is controversy regarding the best way to manage the airway of patients with LA. Options range from conservative management involving close observation and i.v. antibiotics to airway intervention, including tracheostomy and endotracheal intubation using fibre-optic nasoendoscopy. We present evidence supporting a role for conservative airway management in a select subset of patients. METHODS: This paper reviews 9 years' experience of treating patients with LA at Liverpool Hospital. RESULTS: Twenty-one out of 29 (72%) of our patients were treated conservatively following initial clinical assessment. One of these patients subsequently deteriorated requiring emergency intubation. Of those treated non-conservatively at initial presentation, seven patients were able to be intubated using fibre-optic nasoendoscopy and one patient required tracheostomy under local anaesthesia. CONCLUSION: A general discussion of issues related to the management of LA is presented. Based on our experience we conclude that there is a subset of patients with LA who can be managed safely with conservative management.     

Anesthetic management of a patient with Ludwig's angina]

A 71-year-old woman with cellulitis of the floor of the mouth, referred to as "Ludwig's angina", underwent emergency tracheostomy under general anesthesia, for the control of airway narrowing caused by sublingual and submandibular swelling with tongue elevation. Because difficult airway had been suspected by preoperative assessment, feasible options of intubation in our hospital, including laryngeal mask, fiberoptic intubation and transtracheal jet ventilation, were prepared prior to induction of anesthesia. Anesthetic induction was carried out with propofol and suxamethonium, and subsequently tracheal intubation could be performed with difficulty under condition of partial visualization of vocal cord. Anesthetic maintenance with local anesthesia and continuous infusion of propofol 6 mg.kg-1.hr-1 was carried out during tracheostomy procedure, and this procedure was done uneventfully. Because airway control still remains a top priority in Ludwig's angina, feasible options of airway control should be prepared before induction of anesthesia if tracheostomy was required in a patient with this disease.     

Annular dynamics of memo3D annuloplasty ring evaluated by 3D transesophageal echocardiography

Background

We assessed the mitral annular motion after mitral valve repair with the Sorin Memo 3D® (Sorin Group Italia S.r.L., Saluggia, Italy), which is a unique complete semirigid annuloplasty ring intended to restore the systolic profile of the mitral annulus while adapting to the physiologic dynamism of the annulus, using transesophageal real-time three-dimensional echocardiography.

Methods

17 patients (12 male; mean age 60.4?±?14.9 years) who underwent mitral annuloplasty using the Memo 3D ring were investigated. Mitral annular motion was assessed using QLAB®version8 allowing for a full evaluation of the mitral annulus dynamics. The mitral annular dimensions were measured throughout the cardiac cycle using 4D MV assessment2® while saddle shape was assessed through sequential measurements by RealView®.

Results

Saddle shape configuration of the mitral annulus and posterior and anterior leaflet motion could be observed during systole and diastole. The mitral annular area changed during the cardiac cycle by 5.7?±?1.8%.The circumference length and diameter also changed throughout the cardiac cycle. The annular height was significantly higher in mid-systole than in mid-diastole (p?<?0.05).

Conclusions

The Memo 3D ring maintained a physiological saddle-shape configuration throughout the cardiac cycle. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography analysis confirmed the motion and flexibility of the Memo 3D ring upon implantation.

     

Ludwig's angina in Nigeria: The disease of the poor and health inequality!

Aimhighlight the health inequality and identify opportunities to improve the care delivered to the patients who suffer from Ludwig's angina which could have national and international clinical impact.Materials and methodsData was collected from three major oral and maxillofacial centers, in Nigeria including Benin, Lagos and Kano. A protocol was developed for data collection which included demographic details, socio-economic status, management of the air way, the associated morbidities and mortalities.ResultsForty-nine were managed in Benin, 57 in Lagos and 66 in Kano. Diabetes was the most prevalent underlying systematic condition, affecting 21% of the Ludwig's angina patients in Lagos. Poverty was a common denominator, 90% of the patients from Kano were unemployed compared to 23% and 8% from Lagos and Benin respectively. For most of the patients, the airway was monitored. Incision and drainage were carried out in most of the cases at Benin and Lagos, but it was only considered in 50% of the cases in Kano. Mortality ranged from 4% in Benin to 12% in Lagos and it was as high as 19% in Kano.Conclusionpoor access to oral healthcare, unemployment and low socio-economic status are important predisposing factors of Ludwig's angina.     

Unilateral pectoralis major muscle flap for the treatment of sternal wounds due to Ludwig's angina

Necrotising descending mediastinitis may rarely originate from Ludwig's angina, which is an infection of the submandibular space. The use of the bilateral pectoralis major muscle flap for the treatment of sternal wound dehiscence is common, but reports of the unilateral application of this flap are scarce. This study aims to report the use of the unilateral pectoralis major muscle flap for the treatment of sternotomy dehiscence in a patient with mediastinitis due to Ludwig's angina. A 21‐year‐old male patient underwent an exploratory cervicotomy and median sternotomy for drainage of a submandibular infection that extended to the anterior, retropharyngeal and mediastinal cervical spaces. The patient had dehiscence of the sternal wound, and the unilateral pectoralis major muscle flap was used for reconstruction of the defect. This flap was able to completely cover the area of dehiscence of the sternotomy, and the patient presented a good postoperative evolution, without complications. The reconstruction technique using the unilateral pectoralis major muscle flap was considered a good option for the treatment of sternotomy dehiscence. It is an adjuvant method in the treatment of infections such as mediastinitis and osteomyelitis of the sternum secondary to Ludwig's angina, allowing a stable coverage of the sternum.