Management of a Severe Cervicofacial Odontogenic Infection

Abstract

Odontogenic infections can be treated with fewer complications if approached earlier when diagnosed while their premature clinical manifestations. However, if the treatment is postponed and the infection spreads into deeper fascial spaces, it can damage vital structures, and, consequently, threaten the patient's life. In these cases, extensive and aggressive therapy should be performed.

Cavernous Sinus Involvement and Near Miss Mediastinitis following Mandibular Tooth Infection Treated during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment

“…Life-threatening complications are airway compromise, mediastinitis, pericarditis, intracranial involvement, and arterial erosion [25][26][27][28][29]. Another grave complication is descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) [1], a serious and progressive infection involving the neck and the chest, in which an odontogenic, pharyngeal, or cervical infection spreads rapidly through the subcutaneous tissue and cervical fascia to the thoracic cavity causing tissue necrosis, with a high death rate (10-40%) by sepsis and organic failure if not treated quickly and appropriately [30,31]. Almost 60-70% of DNM cases are due to descending odontogenic infections, first of all, when they are caused by second and third lower molar necrosis [32].…”

“…Severe deep neck abscess secondary to an odontogenic cause is often reported in the literature and is a cause for concern for the patient's life [ 1 , 2 ]. Deep neck space infections (DNSIs) are bacterial infections that involve different spaces in the neck, starting from the upper aerodigestive tract [ 3 ].…”