Intramuscular gluteal injections in the increasingly obese population: retrospective study
BMJ 2006; 332 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38706.742731.47 (Published 16 March 2006) Cite this as: BMJ 2006;332:637
- Andrew Charles Nisbet, senior house officer in anaesthetics (kaltarn{at}yahoo.co.uk)1
- Correspondence to: Le Grupe, Les Grupieaux, St Peter, Jersey JE3 7ED
- Accepted 21 November 2005
Abstract
Aims To examine depth of subcutaneous fat at gluteal intramuscular injection sites.
Design Retrospective study.
Setting General hospital.
Participants 100 consecutive adults who had computed tomography of the pelvis.
Main outcome measures Minimum distance between the surface of the skin and the nearest edge of muscle at intramuscular injection sites.
Results 12 patients had a ventrogluteal site depth of more than 35 mm, the maximum depth of a green needle, and 26 had a ventrogluteal depth 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 intramuscular site was likely to be deeper in women.
Conclusion Standard green and blue needles do not reach the gluteal muscles in a considerable number of patients.
Footnotes
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This article was posted on bmj.com on 8 March 2006: http://bmj.com/cgi/doi/10.1136/bmj.38706.742731.47
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Contributors ACN is the sole contributor and is guarantor.
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Funding None.
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Competing interests None declared.
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Ethical approval Not required.