Patent ID: 8157866

Claim:
A method of performing an arthroplasty on at least one of a glenoid, or humeral head of a humerus through soft tissue of an anatomy, comprising: forming an entry incision, at a superior-lateral portion of the glenohumeral joint; forming a passage from the incision through at least the deltoid muscle substantially superior and lateral of the glenohumeral joint; reaming the humerus from the superior, lateral humeral head without dislocating the humeral head from the glenoid; resecting the humeral head while the humeral head is located within the glenoid; inserting a prosthetic stem into an intramedullary canal of the humerus through the incision and the passage; positioning the prosthetic stem having a central stem axis and a coupling mechanism aligned with the central stem axis within the humerus such that the central stem axis is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the intramedullary canal; inserting a prosthetic humeral head through the incision and the passage; and coupling the prosthetic humeral head to the coupling mechanism after the stem is inserted into the humerus; wherein at least one of the subscapularis muscle or supraspinatous muscle remains intact and completely connected to surrounding bone during the entire arthroplasty procedure.