Contraceptive Vaginal Rings: Do They Pose an Increased Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in Aesthetic Surgery?

UNLABELLED: Nuvaring (Organon, Kenilworth, NJ) is a vaginal contraception ring inserted by the patient. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001 for the prevention of pregnancy. The intent of this paper is to increase the awareness of Nuvaring among plastic surgeons, and to explore the risks associated with its use. We report the cases of two cosmetic surgery patients. These patients developed deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary emboli in the postoperative period while using Nuvaring. The very advantages of the Nuvaring-the ease of use, the avoidance of daily administration, and the insertion and removal of the device by the patient-may lead to the failure of patients to recollect being on a vaginal ring for contraception.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Risk.