ABSTRACT

Objectives: To define the normal ranges of the thicknesses of the skin and subcutaneous tissues via ultrasonography, and determine whether the current syringe needle-lengths used for the subcutaneous injections were appropriate.

Methods: The thicknesses of the skin and subcutaneous tissues of 2244 students were measured at the left arm using ultrasonography. The patients were divided into three groups based on their age: 6 8, 9–12 and 13–17 years.

Results: The thicknesses of the skin, subcutaneous tissue and skin-subcutaneous tissue were found to be positively correlated with their age, body mass index (BMI) and body surface area. All these were observed to be gender related. There was the possibility to make intramuscular injections for 50%, 25% and 25% of boys within the age groups of 6–8, 9–12 and 13–17 years, respectively. For girls, the risk of intramuscular injection was 25% for all the age groups.

Conclusion: The study showed that the skin and skin-subcutaneous tissue thicknesses varied as a function of the patients’ age, gender, BMIs and body surface areas.