iTunes content sync-removal issues

Is there any way to resolve the following issue regarding my iPod touch and iTunes?

(iPod touch is 5th generation, running iOS 7.1.2)

(iTunes is 11.3.1)

I've unchecked music and photos (from iPhoto) in iTunes, and told iTunes to remove the content from my iPod touch. Additionally, my iPod touch still has events from iPhoto that I've long since deleted (including the photos in said events). iTunes hasn't removed those events, nor any event after unchecking photos in iTunes, and the music still remains on the device. Before the last sync session, my iPod touch was showing duplicates of just about every song synced to it.

I've had these problems twice. Is there a way to fix this without restoring the iPod touch?