Aim: To analyze the cases discussed at the High Health Council (HHC) and to determine the solutions for problems related to gluteal intramuscular injection (IMI) applications.
Material and methods: In a 10-year period, the cases of IMI-related sciatic nerve injury (SNI) referred for an opinion from the HHC of Turkey were reviewed. The cases were analyzed based on demographic features, degree of nerve damage, side of gluteal injection, injected drugs, primary disease, appropriateness of parenteral therapy indications, and management.
Results: There were 107 SNIs from gluteal IMI during the 103 months. Eight of the 107 cases were male and 99 female. The mean age was 28 years. The left sciatic nerve was more commonly injured (41 right, 65 left side). SNI was partial in 48.5% of the cases. The most commonly injected drug was diclofenac sodium (29.9%), and 23.3% of cases were injected more than one drug together. Conservative management was performed in all cases, except one.
Conclusion: Based on our findings, indications of parenteral therapies were exaggerated and nurses injected the drug while the patient"s position was inappropriate for IMI. However, an IMI into the gluteal region is potentially devastating. For those reasons, we conclude that physicians should be restricted in their indications for IMI, and continuous education courses should be organized for nurses. Injured patients should be managed according to their neurological damage.