A 30 year old male, following excision of the 3rd molar

A 30 year old male, following excision of the 3^rd molar for dental caries presents with trismus, fever of 39.5⁰ and swelling pushing the tonsil medially and spreading laterally posterior to the middle sternocleidomastoid. The diagnosis is


a) parapharyngeal abscess  
b) retropharyngeal abscess  
c) Ludwig’s angina  
d) submental abscess


Ans (a)