Site: Ventral aspect of forearm – for testing sensitivity, over left deltoid – for BCG. Technique:
1. Take 0.1ml of the drug in a tuberculin syringe with 26 No. needle attached. Drive out all air by holding the syringe vertical, till the drug is seen at the tip of the needle. 2. Clean the selected site with spirit swab. 3. it is very important that the patient should hold the hand steady. In children, ask an assistant to hold it firmly. A slight movement may move the needle into wrong plane. 4. Stretch the skin between thumb and index finger of the left hand. Pierce the needle at an angle of 15 °, almost parallel to the skin, bevel up and advance it very slowly till the bevel just vanishes into the dermis. 5. Holding the needle & syringe firmly in apposition with left hand, inject the drug. A dermal wheal will be raised when the injection is in correct plane. Intradermal injection is in correct plane. Intradermal injection requires some force while injecting, and a old leaking syringe should never be used for this injection. 6. After raising the wheel, withdraw the needle, and keep the spirit swab over the puncture site for few seconds. Do not massage the site of injection.
Draw a circle of 1” diameter around the injection site with a ballpen – to identify the site for sensitivity reactions.
