Intramuscular gluteal injections in the increasingly obese population: retrospective study

doi:10.1136/bmj.38706.742731.47

BMJ 2006;332:637-638 (18 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.38706.742731.47 (published 8 March 2006)

Research

Intramuscular gluteal injections in the increasingly obese population: retrospective study

Andrew Charles Nisbet, senior house officer in anaesthetics¹

¹ Jersey General Hospital, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3QS

Correspondence to: Le Grupe, Les Grupieaux, St Peter, Jersey JE3 7ED kaltarn{at}yahoo.co.uk

Abstract

Aims To examine depth of subcutaneous fat at gluteal intramuscularinjection sites.

Design Retrospective study.

Setting General hospital.

Participants 100 consecutive adults who had computed tomographyof the pelvis.

Main outcome measures Minimum distance between the surface ofthe skin and the nearest edge of muscle at intramuscular injectionsites.

Results 12 patients had a ventrogluteal site depth of more than35 mm, the maximum depth of a green needle, and 26 had a ventroglutealdepth of more than 25 mm, the maximum depth of a blue needle.43 patients had a dorsogluteal site depth of more than 35 mm,and 72 had a dorsogluteal depth of more than 25 mm. The intramuscularsite was likely to be deeper in women.

Conclusion Standard green and blue needles do not reach thegluteal muscles in a considerable number of patients.

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