{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]],"date-time":"2026-05-29T07:01:47Z","timestamp":1780038107347,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":6,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]],"date-time":"2026-05-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1780012800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Although subdermal contraceptive implants are highly effective, they can create various complications if they migrate or become non-palpable, especially when adjacent to neurovascular structures. Ultrasound guidance and hydrodissection are commonly used to remove migrated implants; however, these techniques are not practical in certain cases. We report the case of a 33-year-old left-handed woman who presented with persistent abnormal bleeding 3\u202fyears post-etonogestrel implant placement. The implant was non-palpable upon presentation, and previous removal attempts had failed. Imaging revealed that the implant was located deep in the upper arm, adjacent to the ulnar nerve. Ultrasound guidance and hydrodissection were unsuccessful; therefore, fluoroscopy guidance was used to safely extract the implant, which had adhered to the ulnar nerve. The patient was discharged on the same day. By the 2-week follow-up visit, the incision had healed well, and the patient reported that the transient tingling sensation\u2014which had occurred intraoperatively due to minimal traction during the final dissection\u2014had completely resolved. Fluoroscopy-guided implant removal is effective for the removal of deeply placed or migrated implants, particularly when conventional methods fail; however, accurate localization and referral to specialists are essential for their safe removal.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1801202","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]],"date-time":"2026-05-29T06:03:52Z","timestamp":1780034632000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Fluoroscopy-guided removal of a migrated non-palpable implanon adherent to the ulnar nerve: a case report"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Changsung","family":"Han","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital","place":["Busan, Republic of Korea"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chungwon","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital","place":["Busan, Republic of Korea"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3973","DOI":"10.1016\/j.radcr.2021.09.051","article-title":"Nexplanon removal from intramuscular implantation in the biceps: a case report","volume":"16","author":"Kong","year":"2021","journal-title":"Radiol Case Rep"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"375","DOI":"10.4103\/jfmpc.jfmpc_1078_23","article-title":"Contraceptive implant migration: a case report","volume":"13","author":"Alotaibi","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Family Med Prim Care"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"449","DOI":"10.1097\/GCO.0000000000000416","article-title":"Difficult implant removals","volume":"29","author":"Voedisch","year":"2017","journal-title":"Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"577","DOI":"10.1016\/j.contraception.2021.07.001","article-title":"Removal of nonpalpable etonogestrel implants after fixation with a curved needle\u2014a case series","volume":"104","author":"Samia","year":"2021","journal-title":"Contraception"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"338","DOI":"10.1016\/j.contraception.2020.01.006","article-title":"Minimally invasive fully ultrasound-guided removal of nonpalpable single-rod contraceptive implant: case report and technical description","volume":"101","author":"Thibaut","year":"2020","journal-title":"Contraception"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2106","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics15162106","article-title":"Ultrasound-guided hydrodissection with needle stabilization: an innovative nerve-sparing approach to remove a contraceptive implant causing ulnar neuropathy","volume":"15","author":"Seo","year":"2025","journal-title":"Diagnostics (Basel)"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Medicine"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1801202\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]],"date-time":"2026-05-29T06:03:52Z","timestamp":1780034632000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1801202\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]]},"references-count":6,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmed.2026.1801202"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1801202","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-858X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-858X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]]},"article-number":"1801202"}}