Fatal Dental Abscess: Descending Necrotising Mediastinitis

Mediastinitis is a rare infectious disease around the vital organs in the mediastinum. Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is caused by odontogenic, pharyngeal, cervical infections, sternotomy or diagnostic and therapeutic instrumentation. Unless it is diagnosed in a timely manner and properly treated, the outcome is fatal. Delay in treatment leads to the spread of the infection down to the mediatinum. We present a case of DNM in 17-year-old girl suffering from a dental abscess.