Detaillierte Beitrags-Information
| Beitragstitel | Does an abduction brace carry weight of the arm after supraspinatus repair? |
|---|---|
| Beitragscode | P005 |
| Autoren | |
| Präsentationsform | Poster |
| Themengebiete |
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| Abstract |
Introduction Abduction braces are used with the intention to relieve tension on the supraspinatus thereby protecting an operative repair. It is not known, however, whether patients wearing a brace do deposit the weight of the arm on the brace effectively or actively stabilize the arm despite the brace. It is further unknown what position of the arm is most effective to relax the shoulder and considered most comfortable. Methods Twenty-two patients who had undergone an arthroscopic supraspinatus repair were postoperatively fitted with a standard abduction brace, equipped with a torque sensor to indirectly measure the weight of the arm on the brace on the first and second post-operative day. Most comfortable arm position, tear size and degenerative muscular changes using MRI were assessed. Results Most patients (15vs.5) preferred a low angle of abduction with the brace in the scapular rather than the true frontal plane irrespective of tear location or size. While loads applied to the brace were slightly higher at high abduction angles (70° and 90°) under regional anesthesia (day1), they were significantly higher at low abduction angles (30° and 50°) with the arm fully awake (day2). Conclusion The most comfortable brace position - which is at low angles of abduction (30-50 degrees) in the scapular plane - is associated with the highest load transfer to the brace in the unanesthetized arm. We therefore conclude that if an abduction brace is used, it should be fitted in the scapular plane with an abduction angle between 30 and 50 degrees. |