Descending necrotizing mediastinitis secondary to a dental infection

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis is a rare type of deep infection of thesoft tissues of the face, originating from cervical and oral infections, typicallydental infections. It is associated with high mortality, due to its high invasivepotential and the fact that the diagnosis is often delayed. We report the caseof a 42-year-old female patient presenting with severe trismus, fever, purulentintraoral drainage, dysphagia, and dysphonia, accompanied by edema andredness in the cervical region. She was diagnosed with necrotizing descendingmediastinitis secondary to a dental infection after the extraction of a mandibularthird molar. The patient underwent surgical drainage and intravenous antibiotictherapy. Despite the development of septicemia, the evolution was favorableand the patient was discharged on post-admission day 20. Early and accuratediagnosis, together with prompt treatment, is imperative for better outcomesin this rare condition