J Korean Acad Nurs.  2010 Dec;40(6):844-851. 10.4040/jkan.2010.40.6.844.

Prediction of Optimal Gluteal Intramuscular Needle Length by Skinfold Thickness Measurements in Korean Adults

• Choi DW
• Sohng KY
• Kim BS

• KMID: 999486
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2010.40.6.844

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to assess optimal needle length for gluteal intramuscular injections (IM) via simple skinfold thickness (SFT).
METHODS
For this study, 190 healthy adults were recruited and grouped into eight groups according to gender and body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2). The Korean Society for the Study of Obesity criteria defines a BMI under 20 as underweight, 20.1-22.9 as normal, 23-24.9 as overweight and over 25 as obese. For each participant, the SFT of dorsoguteal (DG) and ventrogluteal (VG) sites were measured using a caliper. Subcutaneous tissue thickness was acquired through ultrasonic images.
RESULTS
For men in the overweight and obese groups at the DG site, for the obese group at the VG site, and for women in the normal weight, overweight and obese groups at both sites, the mean subcutaneous tissue thickness exceeded 1.84 cm, the minimal length for a 1 inch needle used for IM. At the DG site, optimal intramuscular needle length (OINL) was 1.4 times in women and 1.0 times in men compared to SFT. At the VG site, OINL was 1.3 times in women and 0.9 times in men compared to SFT.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study suggest that SFT is a reliable index to determine optimal needle length with minimal effort prior to IM.

Keyword

Intramuscular injection; Buttocks; Skinfold thickness; Ultrasonography; Subcutaneous tissue

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Body Mass Index
Equipment Design
Female
Humans
Injections, Intramuscular/*instrumentation
Male
Middle Aged
Needles
Republic of Korea
Sex Factors
*Skinfold Thickness
Subcutaneous Fat/ultrasonography

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Axial ultrasonic image of gluteal site.

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