Applicability of calf subcutaneous tissue to subcutaneous injection in young adults

What is already known the topic?
- Individuals to which SC injection is frequently applied, should rotate the injection areas.What this paper adds?
- Easy access to the injection areas are preferred by individuals in long-term self Injection application.
- The calf region is easy to access and adds extra injection site to the rotation. The calf region was found applicable for subcutaneous injections with an 8-mm injector size for 86.3% of the population.

AimThe aim of the study is to provide usage of subcutaneous tissue of lateral calf area (region of M. Gastrocnemius) in addition to the existing injection regions and to compare tissue thicknesses of the lateral upper arm, anterior and lateral thigh, anterior abdomen regions and calf regions.BackgroundSubcutaneous injection (SC) is an application of 0.5 cc drug with an injection (No. 25 and 8-15-18 mm long) to the connective tissue under the skin. Individuals to which SC injection is frequently applied, should rotate the injection areas.MethodsThis research uses the descriptive method.One hundred and sixty-one students (aged; 20.09 ± 2.268) were used as test subjects. Demographic data was obtained from the students who agreed to participate in the research. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. Skin thickness measured using the Holtain Skinfold Caliper. SPSS 20 package software was used for statistical analysis of the data. For comparison of the tissue thicknesses between genders, the t-test was used for independent groups. In order to determine the interactions between anthropometric measurements within each other and other numerical measurements (age, length. BMI, etc.). Pearson Correlation coefficient and related P value was performed. Statistical P value is taken as 0.05.ResultsConsideration of subcutaneous injection applicability of the calf region depended on the injector lengths: 8 mm, 15 mm and 18 mm, 86.3%, 59.6% and 47.8% of the population, respectively were found applicable for this region.ConclusionsThe calf region could be recommended as SC injection region with an 8 mm injector. According to the findings it can be said that the calf region of female genders is more applicable than male genders for SC injection. Calf region could be proposed as anticoagulation treatment.