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The wheelchair axillary view of the shoulder allows a good image to be obtained in the seated position, and it can be used in the nonambulatory or multiply injured patient.
The axillary view of the glenohumeral joint was first described in 1915 by Lawrence.1·2 The view has since become critical for the clinician who is evaluating the injured or unstable shoulder. Many authors have reported on the importance of the axillary view, particularly for identifying posterior dislocations and fracture configurations.3'5 Additionally, the axillary view is the most valuable plain radiograph for evaluating glenohumeral joint surfaces for consideration of shoulder arthroplasty.6
Frequently, the office environment can be a difficult place to obtain an axillary view of goodtechnical quality. A patient with an acute injury seldom can abduct the glenohumeral joint for the standard axillary view. The Velpeau axillary view7 requires thoracic and lumbar spine flexibility and truncal stability that may not be possible in the elderly patient. The trauma axillary view8 can be uncomfortable to perform, and requires a radiograph room with compound angle capability (Figure 1).
A new technique has been developed for obtaining an axillary view in the elderly, injured,...