Examination of Subcutaneous Tissue Thickness in the Thigh Site for Intramuscular Injection in Obese Individuals.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to investigate the thickness of subcutaneous (SC) tissue in the dorsogluteal and thigh sites in obese adults and its suitability for intramuscular injection using a standard-length needle.


METHODS
The sample for this prospective study consisted of 54 obese adults who presented to the ultrasound unit of the radiology clinic of a university hospital in the province of İzmir, Turkey, between June 2012 and August 2013. The study received Institutional Review Board approval, and informed written consent was obtained from all participants. The thickness of the SC tissue in the dorsogluteal and thigh sites was measured by sonography. The sonographic measurements were performed by a radiology specialist.


RESULTS
The mean thicknesses of the SC tissue were 61.70 ± 15.73 mm in the dorsogluteal site, 27.05 ± 8.52 mm in the rectus femoris site, and 23.23 ± 8.44 mm in vastus lateralis site. The SC tissue was thicker in the dorsogluteal than the thigh site (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
A standard needle used in intramuscular injections to the thigh site would be effective in reaching the muscle in the rectus femoris and vastus lateralis sites in all men and in 77.8% of women, although it is not usually adequate for gluteal injection.
Department of Fundamentals of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing (A.Z., E.G.İ.), and Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine (E.İ.), Ege University, İzmir, Turkey.
Ayten
A
Zaybak
Department of Fundamentals of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing (A.Z., E.G.İ.), and Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine (E.İ.), Ege University, İzmir, Turkey. gunayelif2011@hotmail.com.
Elif Günay
EG
İsmailoğlu
Department of Fundamentals of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing (A.Z., E.G.İ.), and Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine (E.İ.), Ege University, İzmir, Turkey.
Eren
E
İsmailoğlu
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009765:Obesity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*
intramuscular injection; needle length; obesity; sonography; subcutaneous tissue