Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria 1. A plan for a primary rotator cuff repair 2. Female sex (assigned sex at birth) 3. \>1 cm tear width, full thickness supraspinatus/infraspinatus tear 4. Post-menopausal, as defined by at least twelve months since last menses 5. Age 50-80 Exclusion Criteria 1. Active infection 2. Baseline serum estradiol \>20 pg/mL 3. Infraspinatus or supraspinatus muscle atrophy of greater than or equal to Goutallier grade 3 4. Pre-operative systemic estradiol supplementation 5. Medically unfit for operative intervention 6. Revision surgery 7. Unwillingness to participate in the study, including post-operative imaging 8. Inability to read or comprehend written instructions 9. Prisoner 10. Concomitant patch augmentation or tendon-transfer 11. Breast cancer or a history of breast cancer or other estradiol-dependent neoplasia 12. Liver disease as documented in the medical record 13. Active venous thromboembolic disease, such as deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, a history of these conditions, or a known predisposition to these disorders (such as Protein C, protein S, or antithrombin deficiency) 14. Active arterial thromboembolic disease, such as stroke, myocardiac infarction, a history of these conditions, or a known predisposition to these disorders 15. Isolated subscapularis tears 16. Known anaphylactic reaction or hypersensitivity to estradiol, adhesive, or transdermal patches