Hematogenous osteomyelitis of the hand skeleton in adults after dental maxillary infections.

Hematogenous ostemyelitis is infrequently seen in adults and primary involvement of the hand skeleton is extremely rare. Little has been reported about the foci of hematogenously spread infections. Two cases of hematogenous osteomyelitis of the hand originating from dental maxillary infections were reported. The first patient suffered an acute hematogenous osteomyelitis of the wrist join, spreading from dental granulomas and massive periodontitis. Despite early radical debridement, attempts to salvage the wrist joint and the extensor tendons failed, so that a wrist fusion had to be performed. The functional outcome was poor. The second patient demonstrated a chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis of the fourth and fifth metacarpals originating from chronic maxillary sinusitis. Radical debridement and use of "spare parts" of the fifth metacarpal prevented an amputation of the fourth ray. The functional outcome was excellent. These cases emphasize the importance of including an examination of the dental maxillary area when searching for a primary focus of hematogenous osteomyelitis.