Intramuscular gluteal injections in the increasingly obese population: retrospective study

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.