[Haematoma of the floor of the mouth following implant surgery].

A patient experienced severe bleeding in the floor of the mouth as a consequence of the placement of 2 implants in the resorbed anterior segment of the mandible. The resulting swelling of the floor of the mouth caused a life-threatening obstruction of the trachea. The patient was urgently transferred to a hospital. Treatment there consisted of the administration of medication and intensive observation. In the literature an intubation or the carrying out of a tracheotomy with possible surgical interventions is also described. The cause lay in damage to the lingual cortical plate of the mandible and trauma of the underlying vascular structures. Especially the cuspid and bicuspid regions are vulnerable because of the often seen lingual concavity in the processus alveolaris. Serious atrophy of the processus alveolaris is also a predisposition. To reduce the probability of such complications knowledge of the local anatomy, good clinical inspection and various radiographic evaluations are important. In case of obstruction of the trachea it is of vital importance to immediately transport the patient to the nearest hospital for further treatment.