Arthroscopic Subscapularis Repair With Preserved Biceps Anatomy

Abstract

Arthroscopic subscapularis repair continues to improve with the advancement of surgical technique and critical focus on careful intraoperative evaluation. As identification of these tears increases, there is an expected increase in repair rates as well. Anatomically, the upper border of the subscapularis and the long head of the biceps (LHB) tendon are in close relation. Many surgeons have advocated concomitant LHB tenotomy versus tenodesis in conjunction with operative subscapularis tears. We hypothesized that in the setting of a preserved anatomic biceps pulley and no LHB pathology, isolated subscapularis repair would result in excellent clinical outcomes when compared with subscapularis repair and biceps tenotomy or tenodesis.