ARTHROSCOPICALLY ENHANCED MINIAPPROACH TO ROTATOR CUFF REPAIR

The results of rotator cuff repair through a lateral deltoid splitting approach combined with arthroscopic subacromial decompression are pre sented in 18 patients with an average followup of 46 months. Sixteen p atients (88%) scored good or excellent on the University of California at Los Angeles shoulder rating scale. Pain scores improved from an av erage of 1.6 to 7.6. Function scores improved from 2.5 to 8.4. Two pat ients had poor results; both had workers' compensation cases pending. One patient with a poor result had 2 complications: superficial infect ion and failure of repair that required reoperation. No other complica tions were encountered. Seventeen patients (94%) were satisfied with t heir results. This surgical technique, when used for patients with chr onic impingement and rotator cuff tear, provides acceptable clinical r esults with minimal morbidity.