Localization and removal of nonpalpable contraceptive implants: Experience from a teaching hospital in Ethiopia: A case series.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome of women presenting with nonpalpable contraceptive implants to a referral center in Ethiopia. In addition, we discuss our approach and experience with localization and removal of nonpalpable contraceptive implants. METHODS: We conducted a facility-based retrospective review of patients evaluated for a nonpalpable contraceptive implant between September 2019 and March 2022 at St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC) located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. SPHMMC is a tertiary teaching hospital with Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) residency as well as a Family Planning fellowship program. The present study was approved by the institutional review board of SPHMMC. RESULTS: Of the 68 patients reviewed, 48 were referred from other facilities. A total of 24 (35.3%) patients had at least one previous failed attempt at removal before referral. On ultrasound examination, 27 (40.3%) implants were found below the muscle fascia. Implant removal procedures were successfully done at the outpatient clinic in 65 (95.6%) patients including 40/40 (100%) suprafascial and 25/27 (92.6%) subfascial implants. Removal of subfascial implants was performed in the operating room in two patients. We failed to localize the device in one patient currently on follow-up. All removals were performed by OBGYNs with subspecialty training in family planning or current fellows supervised by subspecialists. No post-procedure complications have been documented. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that with meticulous evaluation and careful patient selection, localization and removal of nonpalpable implants in outpatient settings are successful. Initial ultrasonography minimizes delays and allows for same-day implant localization and removal.

Reversible median nerve neuropathy and local muscle irritation resulting from blind removal attempts of etonogestrel contraceptive implant: a case report.

Nexplanon is an etonogestrel contraceptive implant that comes with an applicator, making it easier to insert and remove. Complications related to insertion and removal procedures, such as neural-vascular injuries, are rare. We describe a case of reversible median nerve neuropathy and local muscle irritation resulting from blind removal attempts of an iatrogenically migrated implant. The patient presented with an unusual pain at the surgical site along with abnormal sensations and numbness in her left hand that worsened after blind attempts to remove the implant. Radiographs revealed that the rod was 3 cm from her insertion scar and deeply embedded in her left arm. The patient then underwent left arm exploration and implant removal under fluoroscopic guidance by an orthopedic surgeon. The rod was placed intramuscularly, adjacent to the median nerve under the basilic vein. The abnormal sensations and numbness in her left hand could be attributed to median nerve involvement, while the atypical pain at the surgical site could be a result of local irritation from the intramuscularly migrated implant from attempts at removal. The symptoms gradually resolved after surgery. This indicates that patients with impalpable contraceptive implants should be referred for implant removal by specialists familiar with the procedure to prevent further deterioration of adjacent structures from iatrogenic implant migration.

Effects of Degrees of Degeneration on the Electrical Excitation of Human Spiral Ganglion Neurons Based on a High-Resolution Computer Model.

After hearing loss retrograde degeneration of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) has been described. Studies modeling the effects of degeneration mostly omitted peripheral processes (dendrites). Recent experimental observations indicated that degenerating SGNs manifested also a reduced diameter of their dendrites. We simulated populations of 400 SGNs inside a high resolution cochlear model with a cochlear implant, based on µCT scans of a human temporal bone. Cochlear implant stimuli were delivered as biphasic pulses in a monopolar configuration. Three SGN situations were simulated, based on our previous measurements of human SGN dendrites: (A) SGNs with intact dendrites (before degeneration), (B) degenerating SGNs, dendrites with a smaller diameter but original length, (C) degenerating SGNs, dendrites omitted. SGN fibers were mapped to characteristic frequency, and place pitch was estimated from excitation profiles. Results from degenerating SGNs (B, C) were similar. Most action potentials were initiated in the somatic area for all cases (A, B, C), except for areas near stimulating electrodes in the apex with intact SGNs (A), where action potentials were initiated in the distal dendrite. In most cases, degenerating SGNs had lower thresholds than intact SGNs (A) (down to -2 dB). Excitation profiles showed increased ectopic activation, i.e., activation of unintended neuronal regions, as well as similar neuronal regions excited by different apical electrodes, for degenerating SGNs (B, C). The estimated pitch showed cases of pitch reversals in apical electrodes for intact SGNs (A), as well as mostly identical pitches evoked by the four most apical electrodes for degenerating SGNs (B, C). In conclusion, neuronal excitation profiles to electrical stimulation exhibited similar traits in both ways of modeling SGN degeneration. Models showed degeneration of dendrites caused increased ectopic activation, as well as similar excitation profiles and pitch evoked by different apical electrodes. Therefore, insertion of electrodes beyond approximately 450° may not provide any benefit if SGN dendrites are degenerated.

Deep round window insertion versus standard approach in cochlear implant surgery.

The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of vestibular tests and the residual hearing of patients who have undergone full insertion cochlear implant surgery using the round window approach with a hearing preservation protocol (RW-HP) or the standard cochleostomy approach (SCA) without hearing preservation. A prospective study of 34 adults who underwent unilateral cochlear implantation was carried out. One group was operated using the RW-HP (n = 17) approach with Med-El +Flex(SOFT) electrode array with full insertion, while the control group underwent a more conventional SCA surgery (n = 17) with shorter perimodiolar electrodes. Assessments of residual hearing, cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP), videonystagmography, subjective visual vertical/horizontal (SVH/SVV) were performed before and after surgery. There was a significantly (p < 0.05) greater number of subjects who exhibited complete or partial hearing preservation in the deep insertion RW-HP group (9/17) compared to the SCA group (2/15). A higher degree of vestibular loss but a lower degree of vertigo symptoms could be seen in the RW-HP group, but the differences were not statistically significant. It is possible to preserve residual hearing to a certain extent also with deep insertion. Full insertion with hearing preservation was less harmful to residual hearing particularly at 125 Hz (p < 0.05), than was the standard cochleostomy approach.

Predicting depth of electrode insertion by cochlear measurements on computed tomography scans.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To evaluate the effectiveness of cochlear measures obtained by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan in predicting depth of cochlear implant insertion. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review. METHODS: Patients who underwent cochlear implantation in an academic referral center between 2010 and 2013 were considered. Inclusion criteria included available preoperative HRCT scan and complete operative data. Subjects with labyrinthitis ossificans, cochlear hypoplasia, or major inner ear malformations were excluded. Subsequently, measures of cochlear height in the coronal plane and basal turn width in the axial plane were obtained using electronic calipers of the stored digital HRCT images by a blinded investigator. The insertion was considered deep when the electrode was placed at least 23 mm into the cochlea. Subjects were divided into those who had a deep insertion and those who did not. Regression analyses were done to associate cochlear measures with deep insertion. RESULTS: A deep insertion was possible in 25 patients out of 35. There was no statistically significant association between deep insertion and age at implantation, gender, and type of cochleostomy. The mean cochlear height was 6.22 mm (standard deviation [SD] = 0.32 mm) and 5.80 mm (SD = 0.3mm) in subjects with and without deep insertion, respectively (Student t test, P = .0015). Only cochlear height showed an association with deep insertion (logistic regression, P = .0007). For a cochlear height of 6.27 mm, the probability of deep insertion was 0.90. CONCLUSIONS: Linear measurements of standard CT scans of the cochlea can predict the depth of insertion and may help the selection of the appropriate electrode array preoperatively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 126:1656-1661, 2016.

Removal of a Nexplanon implant located in the biceps muscle using a combination of ultrasound and fluoroscopy guidance.

Despite modifications to avoid deep insertions, clinical experience with Nexplanon demonstrates that deep insertions still occur. We present a case of a Nexplanon found in the biceps muscle that was successfully removed with a small incision using a combination of ultrasound and fluoroscopy guidance by interventional radiologists.

Hearing preservation and clinical outcome of 32 consecutive electric acoustic stimulation (EAS) surgeries.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that electric acoustic stimulation (EAS) is beneficial for Japanese-speaking patients, including those with less residual hearing at lower frequencies. Comparable outcomes for the patients with less residual hearing indicated that current audiological criteria for EAS could be expanded. Successful hearing preservation results, together with the progressive nature of loss of residual hearing in these patients, mean that minimally invasive full insertion of medium/long electrodes in cochlear implantation (CI) surgery is a desirable solution. The minimally invasive concepts that have been obtained through EAS surgery are, in fact, crucial for all CI patients. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate hearing preservation results and speech discrimination outcomes of hearing preservation surgeries using medium/long electrodes. METHODS: A total of 32 consecutive minimally invasive hearing preservation CIs (using a round window approach with deep insertion of a flexible electrode) were performed in 30 Japanese patients (two were bilateral cases), including patients with less residual hearing. Hearing preservation rates as well as speech discrimination/perception scores were investigated on a multicenter basis. RESULTS: Postoperative evaluation after full insertion of the flexible electrodes (24 mm, 31.5 mm) showed that residual hearing was well preserved in all 32 ears. In all patients, speech discrimination and perception scores were improved postoperatively.

Clinical Study on Deep Insertion at Tianshu(ST 25)for Colonic Slow Transit Constipation / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To observe the clinical effect of deep insertion at Tianshu(ST 25)for colonic slow transit constipation(STC).Methods:120 cases of STC patients were randomly divided,60 cases in a deep insertion group,30 cases in an electroacupuncture group and 30 cases in a medication group by 2:1:1 ratio.The deep insertion group was treated with deep insertion at Tianshu(ST 25).The electroacupuncture group was treated with routine insertion at Tianshu(ST 25).The medication group was treated with oral administration of Lactulose oral liquid.The first voluntary defecation time,and constipation scores before the treatment,four weeks after the treatment and relevant scores of clinical symptoms were assessed in the three groups of the patients.Results:The scores of the clinical symptoms in improvement of constipation were better in the deep insertion group than in the electroacupuncture group and medication group,with differences in statistical significance(P<0.01).The unsuccessful numbers in the improvement of defecation and abdominal pain were also better in the deep insertion group than in the other two groups,and better in instant effect in the deep insertion.Conclusion:The improvement of STC clinical symptoms was better by deep insertion at Tianshu(ST 25)than by medication and routine acupuncture method at Tianshu(ST 25).