Question

Difference between subcuticular and subcutaneous infection

Answer 1

Overview

A subcutaneous injection is a method of administering medication. Subcutaneous means under the skin.

In this type of injection, a short needle is used to inject a drug into the tissue layer between the skin and the muscle. Medication given this way is usually absorbed more slowly than if injected into a vein, sometimes over a period of 24 hours.

This type of injection is used when other methods of administration might be less effective. For example, some medications can’t be given by mouth because acid and enzymes in the stomach would destroy them.

Other methods, like intravenous injection, can be difficult and costly. For small amounts of delicate drugs, a subcutaneous injection can be a useful, safe, and convenient method of getting a medication into your body.

Medications given using a subcutaneous injection

Medications administered by subcutaneous injection include drugs that can be given in small volumes (usually less than 1 mL but up to 2 mL is safe). Insulin and some hormones are commonly administered as subcutaneous injections.

Other drugs that need to be given very quickly can also be administered via subcutaneous injection. Epinephrinecomes in an automated injector form, called an EpiPen, that’s used to quickly treat severe allergic reactions. While it’s intended to be given intramuscularly, epinephrine will also work if given subcutaneously.

Some pain medications like morphine and hydromorphone (Dilaudid) can be given this way as well. Drugs that prevent nausea and vomiting like metoclopramide(Reglan) or dexamethasone (DexPak) can also be given via subcutaneous injection.

Some vaccines and allergy shots are administered as a subcutaneous injection. Many other vaccines are administered as an intramuscular injection — into muscle tissue rather than under the skin.

Preparing for a subcutaneous injection

The location of injection is important for subcutaneous injections. The drug needs to be injected into the fatty tissue just below the skin. Some areas of the body have a more easily accessible layer of tissue, where a needle injected under the skin will not hit muscle, bone, or blood vessels.

The most common injection sites are:

Abdomen: at or under the level of the belly button, about two inches away from the navel

Arm: back or side of the upper arm

Thigh: front of the thigh



Equipment used for subcutaneous injections includes:

Medication: Vials of liquid medication can be single-use or multiuse. Vials can also be filled with a powder to which liquid needs to be added.

Syringes: The needles are short, at 5/8 inches long. The thickness of the needle is usually 25 or 27 gauge. There may be other options for doses more than 1 mL or for children or people with visual impairments.

Auto-injector pen: Some medications are available in a “pen” with a short single-use needle screwed onto the end of a pen-shaped, multiuse vial. The amount of medication needed is then dialed in at the end. As mentioned earlier, emergency medications like epinephrine can also come in this form.

How to administer a subcutaneous injection

1. Wash your hands. Wash your hands with soap and warm water to prevent potential infection. Be sure to thoroughly scrub between fingers, on the backs of hands, and under fingernails. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)recommends lathering for 20 seconds — the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice.

2. Gather supplies. Assemble the following supplies:

needle and syringe with medication or auto-injector pen

alcohol pads

gauze

puncture-resistant container to discard the used needles and syringe (typically a red, plastic “sharp’s container”)

bandages

3. Clean and inspect the injection site.Before injecting medication, inspect your skin to make sure there’s no bruising, burns, swelling, hardness, or irritation in the area. Alternate injection sites to prevent damage to an area with repeated injections. Then you should clean the skin with an alcohol swab. Let the alcohol dry thoroughly before doing the injection.

4. Prepare the syringe with medication.Before. withdrawing medication from a vial and injecting yourself or someone else, make sure you’re using the correct medication, at the correct dose, at the correct time, and in the right manner. Use a new needle and syringe with every injection.

Preparing a syringe:

Remove the cap from the vial. If the vial is multidose, make a note about when the vial was first opened. The rubber stopper should be cleaned with an alcohol swab