The Recommended Deltoid Intramuscular Injection Sites in the Adult Population: A Cadaveric Pilot Study With an Orthopedic Perspective

TL;DR

This study identifies the safest site for deltoid intramuscular injections in adults to avoid nerve and blood vessel damage.

Contribution

Proposes a standardized injection site based on cadaveric measurements specific to the Southeast Asian adult population.

Findings

The safest injection site is 9 cm below the mid-acromion point, avoiding neurovascular structures.

Deltoid thickness increases with distance from the mid-acromion, peaking at 7 cm.

Axillary nerve and posterior circumflex humeral artery are located approximately 8.2 cm and 8.7 cm from the mid-acromion, respectively.

Abstract

Background and aim

The deltoid is a common site for intramuscular injections, but guidelines for administration lack standardization. Global researchers propose various techniques, and recent study reports indicate a 1.5-15% incidence of nerve palsies due to injections. This pilot cadaveric study aimed to standardize the deltoid intramuscular injection sites in the Southeast Asian population.

Methods

This cadaveric study of a two-year duration was conducted in the Department of Anatomy as an intramural research project in collaboration with the Departments of Anatomy and Orthopedics. In the first year of study, which was the pilot phase of the project, the available six cadavers, i.e., 12 upper extremity specimens were dissected. Anthropometric measurements of deltoid muscle along with the distance of underlying neurovascular structures like the axillary nerve and posterior circumflex humeral artery were measured from neighboring bony landmarks. This article presents the observations of the six cadavers studied in the pilot phase and shall be followed up by another article after the project.

Results

In adults, in anatomical position, the mean distances of the axillary nerve and posterior circumflex humeral artery from the mid-acromial point are 8.19±0.616 and 8.66±0.968 cm, respectively. The deltoid thickness at 3, 5, and 7 cm from mid-acromial point was observed to be 1.079±0.13 cm (0.5-1.78 cm), 1.599±0.12 cm (1-2.96 cm), and 1.815±1.0 cm (1.2-2.5 cm), respectively. The acquired qualitative and quantitative data were tabulated, graphically represented, and statistically analyzed.

Conclusions

The deltoid intramuscular injection (IMI) must be given at or below the level of the midpoint of the deltoid muscle, but never in the upper half. We recommend a site, 4 fingerbreadths/9 cm below the mid-acromion point as the safest site to avoid injury to any underlying neurovascular structures.

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