Infection- Rheumatoid MCP implant infections seeded from chronic distant abscess

Description: Infections seeding implants are uncommon. In this case, a patient with rheumatoid arthritis and silastic metacarpophalangeal joint replacements developed infections of her implants associated with a calf abscess developing from a puncture wound of the sole of the foot. This patient had the implant surgery done elsewhere, and had done well for several years until a few weeks after she stepped on something sharp and developed a minor infection in the foot, which her doctor treated with antibiotics. Weeks later, she developed swelling, redness, and worsening pain in all of her hand joint replacements.