Prospective Sensor Controlled Compliance Analysis of Shoulder Abduction Splint After Rotator Cuff Repair
Prospective Sensor Controlled Compliance Analysis of Shoulder Abduction Splint After Rotator Cuff Repair
The postoperative shoulder rehabilitation in an abduction brace after rotator cuff
 reconstruction of the shoulder is crucial for a successful healing of the reconstruction.

 In this study the investigators want to analyse the abduction brace-wearing time using a
 electronic sensor, which is implanted in the abduction brace. The participants will be
 informed about the sensor after completion of the abduction brace rehabilitation 6 weeks
 postoperatively.
After arthroscopic reconstruction of a rotator cuff tear the healing depends on a tension
 free positioning of the reconstructed tendon. Therefore a abduction brace is administered
 routinely for 6 weeks. The re-rupture rate of rotator cuff reconstruction is about 30%. One
 of the reason may be mechanical overuse caused by non wearing of the abduction brace. From
 experience the investigators suggest that the abduction brace wearing behaviour differs among
 patients. The participant´s wearing compliance has been evaluated by Silverio et al. with a
 questionary but never with a sensor. In this study the investigators want to analyse the
 participant´s abduction brace wearing compliance by using an sensor, which is implanted in
 the abduction brace and monitors the wearing time, which reveals the objective wearing time.

 The sensor is a certificated sensor, which measures temperature in °C every 15 min. If the
 abduction brace is worn by the participants the body temperature can be captured by the
 sensor. If the measured temperature is over 33°C the sensor capture the time period as a
 "worn" time. With this measurements the abduction brace wear time should be captured
 objectively. A similar kind of sensors were used to evaluate the wearing time of
 scoliosis-braces in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (Miller DJ eta al., Morton
 A et al., Takemitsu et al.) With a questionary the participants are asked of the wearing time
 before they will be informed about the implanted sensor. This answer represents the
 subjective wearing time.

 The first endpoint of the study is the evaluation of the objective and subjective abduction
 wearing time. The second endpoint is the evaluation of the correlation between compliance and
 subjective outcome.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients with rotator cuff repair and postoperative abduction for 6 weeks

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Revision surgery