Head and neck: Ludwig angina: practice question

A General Surgery question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Surgery · Head and neck: Ludwig angina

Sample item

A diabetic man with a dental infection has a woody, tender swelling of the floor of the mouth and submandibular spaces, with a raised tongue and drooling. What is the priority?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Secure the airway, give IV antibiotics and drain collections

Ludwig angina is bilateral cellulitis of the submandibular, sublingual and submental spaces, usually odontogenic, and can obstruct the airway rapidly. Airway control, broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics and surgical drainage of any abscess are required. Delay risks death.

Option by option

  • A. Secure the airway, give IV antibiotics and drain collections (correct)

    Correct. Airway protection comes first.

  • B. Imaging only

    Imaging should not delay airway control.

  • C. Reassurance and warm compresses

    Conservative measures risk airway obstruction.

  • D. Oral antibiotics and review in a week

    Oral treatment is inadequate for this emergency.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is A, Secure the airway, give IV antibiotics and drain collections. Ludwig angina is bilateral cellulitis of the submandibular, sublingual and submental spaces, usually odontogenic, and can obstruct the airway rapidly.

Why is "Imaging only" not the answer?

Imaging should not delay airway control.

Why is "Reassurance and warm compresses" not the answer?

Conservative measures risk airway obstruction.

Why is "Oral antibiotics and review in a week" not the answer?

Oral treatment is inadequate for this emergency.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Head and neck: Ludwig angina in General Surgery. Airway control, broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics and surgical drainage of any abscess are required. Delay risks death.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Head and neck: Ludwig angina?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.