Introduction: Sciatic nerve injury is a well-known complication of intra-muscular gluteal muscle injections. Affected individuals usually present with foot drop and this results in varying degrees of motor disability. There are different sites such as ventrogluteal, dorsogluteal that can be used for gluteal injections. In last years, the ventrogluteal site is accepted as a more safe and suitable injection site than dorsogluteal site. This study was carried out to compare the distance to the siatic nerve under the piriformis muscle of these different gluteal injection sites. The study also aimed to evaluate the muscle thicknesses at these injection sites.
Materials and Methods:Twenty five participants with BMI<22 were recruited from outpatient clinic that were prescribed intramuscular treatment. Firstly, by an experienced nurse the dorsogluteal and ventrogluteal injection points have been marked. By using a linear array probe (7-12 MHz Logiq P5a) the distances of both the dorsogluteal and ventrogluteal sites to the siatic nerve just under the piriformis muscle have been measured. Later on the muscle thickness at these sites were measured.
Result:The mean distances between the dorsogluteal and ventrogluteal injection points to the siatic nerve under the piriformis muscle are consecutively 9±2.3cm and 18±3.5 cm. No statistical difference has been found between the muscle thickness of the ventrogluteal and dorsogluteal injections sites (p<0.01).
Conclusion:According to the distance to sciatic nerve, the ventrogluteal injection site seems a more advisable and safe injection point.has been measured and recorded. The muscle thickness (gluteus maximus) at this injection side also measured ultra sonographically.At the second step of our study, a more safe and advisable injection side has been determined at the ventrogluteal region (gluteus medius and minimus muscle) under the iliac crest. The distances of this second injection point to the siatic nerve under the piriformis muscle have also been measured. Also for standardization the distance of this advised point to the spinal iliaca anterior superior have also been measured. The muscle thicknesses at this point have also been measured ultrasonographically.
ResultsThe results were evaluated by SPSS statistical software programme. Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the differences. Eleven of the patients were woman, and 14 of them were men. The mean age of the participant was 37±13 and the mean BMI were 18± 2.5 kg. The mean distance between the dorsogluteal injection points to the siatic nerve under the piriformis muscle is 9±2.3 cm. The mean muscle thickness at this point was 22±5.6 cm. The mean distance of the second more advisable and safe injection point at ventrogluteal side to the siatic nerve was 18±3.5 cm. The mean muscle thickness at this point is 24±6.5 mm. The distance of this point to the spina iliaca anterior superior obliquely is 9.5±2.2 cm. There was a significant difference between the distance to the sciatic nerve of dorsogluteal and ventrog...