Late infection of hand implant after a dental procedure: a case report

A 78-year-old woman with a silicone implant in her first carpometacarpal joint had acute inflammation and lymphangitis beginning 24 hours after a dental root canal procedure. The infection resolved after implant removal and debridement of the residual carpometacarpal space. Although this is a rare event, the use of prophylactic antibiotics to protect implants in the hand should be reviewed.