It is a rapidly spreading cellulitis of the sublingual and submandibular spaces but does not have lymphatic involvement or abscess formation.

Case presentation: A 65-year-old white Moroccan woman presented with a history of progressive right submandibular swelling which had grown over a period of 8 months.

On examination there was swelling in the left submandibular region extending down the neck. The patient complained of hoarseness of his voice, numbness of his lower lip, dysphagia and marked trismus.