After several cases of contraceptive implant migration, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) is alerting healthcare professionals to the problem.
Contraceptive implant migration: significant neurovascular risks
Each year, approximately 20,000 women opt for an implant as a method of contraception. But a problem arises with Nexplanon contraceptive implants, the only ones distributed in France, since they can migrate in the body.
Positioned in the arm, the implant can be found in blood vessels, in the thorax and in the pulmonary arteries. This migration can lead to significant neurovascular damage and the withdrawal of the contraceptive requires a heavy operation.
Thirty cases of migration of contraceptive implants already identified
Since 2001, around thirty cases of contraceptive implant migration have been identified. In 2016,ANSM has therefore already reacted to this problem as indicated by the organization. “The first reports of pharmacovigilance on the migration of this implant, especially in the pulmonary artery, have led to the implementation of several measures to reduce this risk at national and European level”. Healthcare professionals were asked to train themselves to install this implant. Indeed, the migration of it is due to an insertion too deep in the arm.
But despite these ANSM measures, cases of implant migration continue. Thus: “two pharmacovigilance surveys on the risk of migration into the pulmonary artery and of neurovascular damage at the insertion site have shown that despite these measures, the number of reports of migration into the pulmonary artery, in 2017, was around 3.17 per 100,000 insertions “indicates the health agency.
Regularly check the presence of the implant in the arm
Indeed, in addition to the risks linked to the too deep insertion of the implant, other hypotheses are raised concerning the causes of migration as underlined by the ANSM: “Another hypothesis would be that migration occurs at a distance from the pose, following a shock or the repetition of certain movements. An anatomical feature is not excluded either. “
So, the national agency advises women with an implant to check regularly, twice a month, that the contraceptive is still in place thanks to: “delicate palpation”. And: “Otherwise, a medical consultation must be scheduled”.
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