Financial report context:
note 17 2014 sales-type leases and financing receivables in april 2017 , in conjunction with the implementation of a new 201cgo-to-market 201d business model for the company's u.s . dispensing business within the medication management solutions ( 201cmms 201d ) unit of the medical segment , the company amended the terms of certain customer leases for dispensing equipment within the mms unit . the modification provided customers the ability to reduce its dispensing asset base via a return provision , resulting in a more flexible lease term . prior to the modification , these leases were accounted for as sales-type leases in accordance with accounting standards codification topic 840 , "leases" , as the non- cancellable lease term of 5 years exceeded 75% ( 75 % ) of the equipment 2019s estimated useful life and the present value of the minimum lease payments exceeded 90% ( 90 % ) of the equipment 2019s fair value . as a result of the lease modification , the company was required to reassess the classification of the leases due to the amended lease term . accordingly , most amended lease contracts were classified as operating leases beginning in april 2017 . the change in lease classification resulted in a pre-tax charge to earnings in fiscal year 2017 of $ 748 million , which was recorded in other operating expense , net . beginning april 1 , 2017 , revenue associated with these modified contracts has been recognized on a straight-line basis over the remaining lease term , along with depreciation on the reinstated leased assets . the company's consolidated financial results in 2018 and 2017 were not materially impacted by the financing receivables remaining subsequent to the lease modification discussed above . note 18 2014 supplemental financial information other income ( expense ) , net .

Financial table:
( millions of dollars ): losses on debt extinguishment ( a ); 2018: $ -16 ( 16 ); 2017: $ -73 ( 73 ); 2016: $ 2014
( millions of dollars ): vyaire medical-related amounts ( b ); 2018: 288; 2017: -3 ( 3 ); 2016: 2014
( millions of dollars ): other equity investment income; 2018: 8; 2017: 3; 2016: 8
( millions of dollars ): losses on undesignated foreign exchange derivatives net; 2018: -14 ( 14 ); 2017: -11 ( 11 ); 2016: -3 ( 3 )
( millions of dollars ): royalty income ( c ); 2018: 51; 2017: 2014; 2016: 2014
( millions of dollars ): gains on previously held investments ( d ); 2018: 2014; 2017: 24; 2016: 2014
( millions of dollars ): other; 2018: 2014; 2017: 3; 2016: 7
( millions of dollars ): other income ( expense ) net; 2018: $ 318; 2017: $ -57 ( 57 ); 2016: $ 11

Additional report context:
( a ) represents losses recognized upon our repurchase and extinguishment of certain senior notes , as further discussed in note 15 . ( b ) represents amounts related to the company 2019s 2017 divestiture of a controlling interest in its former respiratory solutions business and the subsequent sale in 2018 of the remaining ownership interest . the amount in 2018 includes the gain on the sale of the remaining non-controlling interest and transition services agreement income , net of the company's share of equity investee results . the amount in 2017 represents the company 2019s share of equity investee results , net of transition services agreement income . additional disclosures regarding these divestiture transactions are provided in note 10 in the notes to consolidated financial statements . ( c ) represents the royalty income stream acquired in the bard transaction , net of non-cash purchase accounting amortization . the royalty income stream was previously reported by bard as revenues . ( d ) represents an acquisition-date accounting gain related to a previously-held equity method investment in an entity the company acquired. .

Question: what was the percentage change in the losses on debt extinguishment from 2017 to 2018
Answer: 78.1%