Estimating mechanical blood trauma in a centrifugal blood pump: laser Doppler anemometer measurements of the mean velocity field

There are different opinions on the duration of post-operative shoulder immobilisation following arthroscopic repair of labrum tears. Between 1993 and 1994 at our department arthroscopic repairs of the glenoid labrum as described by Habermeyer (15, 16) have been performed in 38 patients. In 20 of these patients postoperative treatment included immobilisation of the operated shoulder in a Gilchrist-bandage for 3 weeks, while in the remaining 18 patients this postoperative immobilisation period was decreased to only 1 or 2 weeks. Physiotherapy started the day after the operation, using a device for passive-motion exercises. The mean follow-up time of our examinations was 15.4 month. The mean score by Rowe rose significantly from 20.0 preoperatively to 82.6 at the follow-up examination. Results were excellent or good in 89.4% of all cases, new shoulder dislocations did not occur in any case. Patients having their shoulders immobilised for 3 weeks reached significantly higher Rowe-scores at our follow-up than those patients, whose shoulders were immobilised for only 1 or 2 weeks. Therefore, postoperative management following arthroscopic repair of labrum tears should include immobilisation of the operate shoulder for 3 weeks and an early start of passive-motion exercises.