8.4.2: Vastus Lateralis Site
- Page ID
- 89958
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The vastus lateralis site is used for patients of all ages, including infants and children. This muscle is located at the lateral thigh. The patient will be placed in a sitting or supine position. Since this is a larger muscle than the deltoid muscle, larger amounts of fluid can be injected: up to 1 mL for infants to 12 months, up to 2mL for children up to 11 years, and up to 3mL for adults. The needle length will be chosen based on the patient’s size, ranging from 5/8 inch for infants to 1½ inch for larger adults and a needle gauge of 22–25.
The landmarks used to find this muscle include the proximal end of the greater trochanter and the lateral epicondyle of the femur near the patella (kneecap). On either end of the femur, palpate the two landmarks. Place one of your hands below the greater trochanter near the joint between the hip and femur. Place your other hand above the lateral epicondyle of the knee to create a rectangle between your two hands. Locate the middle one-third of this rectangle lengthwise. In this middle third of the rectangle, locate the midline of the thigh and the midline of the outer thigh. The center of this area is the injection site. If viewing the thigh from a transverse plane, the injection site would be almost 10 o’clock.