Skin damage associated with the Norplant contraceptive

Three cases of localized reaction in the first month after implantation of the Norplant contraceptive resulted in a partial implant expulsion and removal in one patient, and implant removal in another. Clinical evidence of infection was absent in all patients. While lidocaine with epinephrine was used in all three patients, the cause for these skin reactions remains unclear. Physicians should be alerted to the possibility of significant skin reactions associated with this procedure.
The Norplant system (Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pa) is a newly introduced contraceptives implant that provides a steady-state level of levonorgestrel for 5 years.[1-5] The system consists of six flexible polymethylsiloxane [...]