Determination of safe sites of intramuscular arm injections and its relevance to the community.

Abstract

Intramuscular injections are usually given in the arm or the gluteal region. Needle insertions done through the intramuscular route in the arm are almost always administered at a point 1 - 2 cm above the insertion of the deltoid. However, this site is not such an ideal one as found by certain other workers. Hence, this study was done to establish a series of safe determinant points in and around the arm in the South Indian population of the state of Telangana. The five proven safe injection points were tested through needle insertions by observing sterile aseptic precautions in the arms of 370 subjects at the outpatient department of a national level medical research institute after obtaining their consent following the universal safety protocol. The points I [1 to 2 cm above deltoid insertion], II [a point midway between the midpoint of arm and insertion of deltoid] and III [midpoint between anterior acromion and deltoid insertion] were found to be safe for administering intramuscular arm injections in this subset of the population. This explains the erratic course of the anterior branches of the axillary nerve in different geographical populations. Hence, needle insertion points for arm intramuscular injections need to be determined according to the region.