A Surgical Tip for Shoulder Hemiarthroplasty in a Patient With a Deficient Rotator Cuff

The deltopectoral approach has long been the workhorse for exposure of the shoulder. However, this exposure involves dividing the subscapularis tendon. Despite meticulous repair, suboptimal return of subscapularis may further reduce a patient’s functional capacity with an already deficient rotator cuff. This report describes an alternative approach for shoulder hemiarthroplasty, preserving subscapularis, in a patient with a deficient rotator cuff. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 15(1):60–61, 2006)